Arshiya Siddiqui, a 43-year-old resident of Wellington Road, Coventry, has been handed an 18-month suspended sentence at Warwick Crown Court today after falsely presenting herself as a

solicitor and providing immigration advice without the required qualifications.

Siddiqui was found guilty of two counts of offering unregulated advice and one count of fraud. For each count of providing unregulated advice, she received 8 months imprisonment, and for fraud, she was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. However, all the sentences are to run concurrently and have been suspended for 18 months.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Siddiqui has been given a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a curfew that will be enforced between 9 pm and 6.30 am for two months. The court did not impose any costs or compensation against her.

This verdict follows an investigation by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC), which revealed that between 15 July 2015 and 4 March 2020, Siddiqui unlawfully provided unregulated advice to two individuals, one of whom she falsely claimed to be a solicitor. Her actions had severe consequences on their ability to study in the UK and impacted the residency applications of the other victim.

During the trial, His Honour Justice Cooke remarked on Siddiqui's deceitful conduct, stating that she had misrepresented herself as a solicitor, took money under false pretenses, and exhibited persistent displays of dishonesty on oath. The jury was taken aback by her statements, and there were moments of disbelief and laughter in the courtroom.

Justice Cooke added that Siddiqui seemed to harbor an inflated sense of her own abilities, which he deemed unwarranted. While she displayed some level of self-awareness regarding her lack of expertise, she exploited her limited knowledge to provide delaying tactics without the capacity to construct compelling cases.

In response to the sentencing, John Tuckett, the Immigration Services Commissioner, emphasized the gravity of Siddiqui's crimes, which significantly impacted the lives of her victims by jeopardizing their residency claims and studies in the UK. He stated that the severity of the sentence sends a clear message about how seriously such offenses are regarded by the courts.

Tuckett affirmed the OISC's commitment to investigating and prosecuting individuals who unlawfully offer immigration advice without the necessary qualifications. He urged people seeking immigration advice to exercise caution and verify whether their advisor is fully qualified and registered before making any payments. The OISC website provides a helpful Adviser Finder feature, allowing individuals to identify qualified immigration advisors. Photo by John D. Evans, Wikimedia commons.