Woman used wigs, disguises and false papers to complete UK citizenship tests for 13 people

A woman who travelled the country to sit false UK citizenship tests has been jailed for four years and six months. Josephine Maurice, 61, pretended to be 13 different people in order to take the Life in the UK Test between June 1, 2022, and August 14, 2023, heard. She used a series of wigs and false documents to carry out the fraud.

Former bus driver Maurice, of Enfield, north , had pleaded guilty to 13 counts of fraud, a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts of possession of another person's identity documents. District Judge Anthony Callaway, sentencing on Tuesday (May 20), described Maurice's actions as a "wholesale assault" on the system. He said there was a "clear advantage" to people who wanted to progress towards citizenship without following all the procedures.

The Life in the UK Test is a requirement for anyone seeking to obtain indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation as a British citizen.

According to the Home Office, it consists of 24 questions aimed at "proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and society".

Maurice's defence lawyer Stephen Akinsanya told the court his client was not the mastermind of the scam, but the offences could potentially rise to "affecting national security if people are passing tests when they have no right to be here".

She was "gainfully employed" as a bus driver but got sucked into "something far more serious than she envisioned", the court was told.

The judge told Maurice: "You attended test centres fraudulently undertaking Life in the UK Tests on behalf of other persons who, naturally, were supposed to and were intended to be there.

"It is clear that the fraud was deliberate and sophisticated and involved the alteration of identity documents, travel documents, false wigs and other matters.

"The geography was varied. You attended in person a variety of centres in London and elsewhere including Stratford, Luton, Hounslow, Reading, Oxford, Nottingham and Milton Keynes."

Provisional driving licences were found at her home after her arrest earlier this year.

The court heard Maurice has a previous fraud conviction dating back to August 2015 and "there are similarities" to the current case as it involved her "impersonating" someone in order to take a driving theory test.

She appeared via video link from HMP Bronzefield where she has been a "model inmate".

Earlier, prosecutor Nana Owusuh said it was difficult for investigators to quantify the financial benefits of the "well organised" scam or to "calibrate any gains".

Mr Akinsanya described it as "an unusual case" and told the court that for the "level of sophistication and planning the crown has provided no evidence that she was the mastermind.

He said: "Clearly in my submission, this is someone who has found herself involved in something far more serious than she envisioned.

"She found herself trapped to people she owed a sum of money. There are some levels of coercion and intimidation. She was not motivated by personal gain."

Of Maurice, he said: "Prior to her arrest she was a bus driver with Arriva and looking after her 25-year-old son who was afflicted with schizophrenia."

Mr Akinsanya said: "She foolishly agreed to help someone and this is where it has landed her - in custody and away from her son who is clearly vulnerable, that's what keeps her awake at night.

"She understands the implications of what she has done and for national security, and the court can treat such matters harshly."

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra said: "Today's sentence serves as strong evidence that this Government will use every tool at its disposal to root out abhorrent immigration offenders and ensure they face the full force of the law for undermining our laws and putting the UK's border security at risk.

"Josephine Maurice used wigs and sophisticated disguises to sit the Life in the UK test on behalf of over 14 genuine applicants in an attempt to gain them British citizenship and evade detection from law enforcement, she now faces over four years behind bars."

The minister thanked the Criminal Financial Investigations team for their dedication to making the UK a safer place by ensuring criminals such as Maurice who "participate in this evil trade" are brought to justice.