Nicu Marin, 44, from Romania, who has an extensive criminal record, has finally been imprisoned after new legislation gave judges greater sentencing powers. The father-of-five was handed a 27-month jail term yesterday (Dec 3), and it is anticipated he will be deported for a seventh time once he's served half of his sentence.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Simon Batiste told Marin the UK had enough "home-grown criminals" and warned him not to return to this country.

He said: "Britain has no need for criminals such as you coming into this country. Sadly we have our own home-grown criminals. As such, a deterrent sentence must [be] imposed, especially someone like you [who] has regularly and flagrantly breached a deportation order. You must understand that you are not allowed in the UK and must not return to this country. If you do, the sentences will become longer and longer."

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed said Marin, who was found living at a terraced home on Marley Terrace in Beeston, Leeds, has 20 convictions for 41 offences, many for theft and fraud. He said Marin was first deported in October 2015, but was back in the UK in 2016 when his name was flagged up after he was caught shoplifting.

He was deported again in November 2016, but two weeks later, he came back into the country via Holyhead. Again he was deported and was removed twice more in March 2017 and April 2018.

In November 2019, he was found living at an address in Chapeltown and given a four-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months. Marin then applied to marry a woman in the UK in September of last year, before being arrested at his address in Beeston in November. He claimed he came back into the country in August of last year via Dover and had gained employment.

Mr Ahmed said: "Since 2015 he has made a concerted effort and was successful in entering the UK, entering via various ports from Ireland and Northern Ireland."

Marin, appearing via video link from HMP Doncaster where he was being held on remand, admitted breaching his deportation order.

Mitigating, Andrew Petterson told the court: "He acknowledges it must be a term of imprisonment. He has asked me to apologise to the court on his behalf. He tells me that his sole motivation is to support his five children who live in Romania and who reside with his 75-year-old mother."

However, Judge Batiste was sceptical about the claim, pointing to Marin's marriage suggestion.

He said: "It's not clear if it was a legitimate attempt to marry or a sham marriage that was to take place. Your immigration history is appalling. You were aware that were no longer entitled to enter the UK. Since that order was made you have entered the UK on six separate occasions. It's clearly carefully planned to come to the UK in the full knowledge you are not allowed. It must have involved some deception to gain entry."

Illegal immigrant who has been deported from UK six times found living in Yorkshire