Abas Fazil fled to Doncaster in 2002 and has spent years living as an illegal asylum-seeker using forged papers, while falsely claiming thousands of pounds in state benefits.

Yesterday he was jailed for nine months after pleading guilty at Doncaster Crown Court to making false representations to obtain benefits and two offences of identity fraud – and when he is released he will be deported.

The 28-year-old fled from Iraq before the invasion because he did not want to become a soldier like his father, a general in the dictator's army. He arrived in the UK hidden in the back of a lorry in 2002, and claimed political asylum.

But his appeals were rejected, and he was served with a deportation order.

Angela Wrottesley, prosecuting for the Department of Work and Pensions, said that Fazil was caught last November when he showed up at a recruitment agency in the town looking for work.

He presented a Home Office Leave to Remain letter in his name, which checks showed was fraudulent. When he returned four days later officers were waiting for him, he was arrested and his home in Regent Street, Balby, near Doncaster, was searched.

A UK passport in the name of Craig Birtles, but with Fazil's photograph inside, was found and he later confessed he had paid an associate £1,000 for the passport in 2005 so he could visit his sister in Iraq.

He also admitted buying the fake Home Office letter for £100. While not working Fazil had falsely claimed more than £3,500 in Jobseeker's Allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

David Taylor, defending, said Fazil was "a victim of the world in which we live".

He said: "He didn't want to remain in Iraq under the Saddam regime because they tried to force him to join the army. Because his father was a general in Saddam's army he knew what they did."

His grandmother and sister gave him gold to flee the country to avoid military service and he was smuggled from Turkey in a truck to the UK where the only word he knew was "asylum".

Mr Taylor said Fazil had worked consistently but, when his legal opportunities to seek asylum had expired, he relied on a friend to provide him with documents.

"He has been a fool and he knows the court will impose a custodial sentence," Mr Taylor added.