AN ALBANIAN who arrived in the UK on the back of a lorry has been jailed for three months for possession of a fake licence.

Cristian Pecoraro was stopped by police in Marlborough on September. The Albanian national, who was driving an Audi A4, handed over an Italian driving licence that officers recognised almost immediately as a forgery.

Prosecuting, Hannah Squire said: “Mr Pecoraro was therefore driving without a proper licence and had no insurance.”

Pecoraro, 29, of High Street, Cricklade, pleaded guilty to possession of a false identity document with improper intention, driving without insurance and otherwise in accordance with a licence.

Alistair Haggerty, defending, said his client had arrived in the UK illegally on the back of the lorry.

“It is very dangerous for somebody to enter the country in that way and perhaps underlines the desperation he felt to seek a better life in this country,” he added.

Pecoraro had worked as a steel worker but in the hope of finding better employment had paid for the false ID. Mr Haggerty said his client was remorseful: “He knows he did something wrong and knows he shouldn’t have had that document.”

Jailing Pecoraro for three months, Judge Peter Crabtree said: “This is a serious offence. If you have a false driving licence and you use it to deceive officers it undermines the Road Traffic Act.

“Who knows whether you are authorised to drive in this country or even have an Albanian driving licence.”