A man from Goa who came to Britain and landed a job on a false passport has been jailed for a year.

Philip Fernandes bought a false Portuguese passport and identity card in Germany as he headed to the UK from the Indian resort.

But the 47-year-old was caught after trying to get a National Insurance number at the Job Centre in Swindon.

David Maunder, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court how he produced the documents when he went to fill in the forms on Thursday January 10 this year.

He said the defendant had tried to get the NI number in a false name using the identity on the forged passport and ID card.

The interviewing officer from the Department for Work and Pensions was immediately suspicious of the paperwork and retained them for further examination.

Mr Maunder said the passport had been manipulated and the identity card was counterfeit.

He told the court that Fernandes was arrested at his place of work, which was Del Monte in Wootton Bassett, three weeks later.

At the police station he was interviewed and gave his real identity and saying he was from Goa.

Fernandes said he had bought the documents in Germany for 1,500 Euros knowing if he entered the UK on his genuine passport he would not be able to stay or work.

He used the passport to get into the country, open a bank account and get a job through the Pertemps agency.

Mr Maunder said "Asked about his motivation he indicated to his knowledge it was common practice among those in Goa and so went along with the crowd."

Fernandes, of Manchester Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing false identity documents with intent.

Chris Oswold, defending, said his client had been a farmer in Goa and had struggled to provide for his family.

Fernandes is illiterate, he said, but he suspected there was something wrong with the documents but in search of a better life for his family he went through with it.

He said that his client was not involved in the making of the forgeries but just the end user.

Ironically he said he could have applied for a Portuguese passport but the process takes a long time and he was being pressured by his family to come to the UK.

Jailing him Judge Charles Wade said "Through your advocate you say that it is common practice for those from your country to use false documents in this way.

"If this is so I would like to send out a message that it has to stop."