An Oxford man has been jailed after being found guilty of obtaining a passport by deception.

Ustad Ahmed admitted obtaining bogus birth certificates for two children, but denied the passport offence.

Ahmed, 36, of Walton Street, obtained fake certificates for a boy and a girl from the Oxford Registrar in October 1999 and September 2000.

Oxford Crown Court heard that he was issued with the certificates after submitting documents known as cot cards. Checks with the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford showed the information was incorrect.

Ahmed used a certificate to get a British passport for one of the children.

The application was counter-signed in the name of Raymond Bishop, who sold his home to Ahmed in 2000.

When police traced Mr Bishop, he said his signature had been forged.

Ahmed declined to give evidence in court, because this meant swearing to tell the whole truth.

In interview, he claimed a second Raymond Bishop had signed.

Jailing Ahmed for nine months, Judge Anthony King said: "This was a concerted attempt to create false identities for two children."