Care Home Director Jailed for Hiring Illegal Immigrants

Benoy Thomas, a director of a care home agency in England, has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for employing illegal immigrants from India. Convicted by Lewes Crown Court, Thomas knowingly breached immigration laws by recruiting care assistants without proper rights, risking public safety.

Benoy Thomas, the director of a care home agency in south-east England, has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for illegal hiring practices. The conviction comes from Lewes Crown Court, where Thomas was found guilty of employing Indian immigrants with no legal right to work in the UK.

The 50-year-old director recruited Indian nationals to work as care assistants at his company, A Class Care Recruitment Ltd, despite knowing their illegal status. This practice, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, endangered vulnerable individuals requiring care, due to inadequate training and expertise among the employed.

An investigation by the UK's Immigration Enforcement Agency revealed Thomas's involvement in unlawful immigration of 13 individuals between 2017 and 2018. Despite entering the UK legally in 2007 and obtaining citizenship in 2012, Thomas exploited his knowledge of immigration laws for illegal recruitment, leading to his conviction on 13 counts of unlawful immigration assistance.

(With inputs from agencies.)