A MAN could be jailed for falsely claiming a British passport three times in 20 years – unaware he could have legally obtained one.

Ivan Fort, from South Africa, applied for the UK document in 1990 using the identity of another Mr Fort, a British citizen. The 65-year-old renewed the document 10 years later in 2000 and again a decade later in 2010.

Police were alerted when the real Mr Fort attempted to apply for his own passport only to be told that he already had one.

At Oxford Crown Court on Friday, Fort, whose address was given as the King’s Arms pub in Market Square, Bicester, admitted three counts of making untrue statements to procure a passport.

Judge Mary Jane Mowat asked his barrister, Lucy Tapper: “Why did he do it?”

She replied: “It appears he would have been entitled to UK citizenship but he didn’t appreciate that and took this most unwise step.”

Cathy Olliver, prosecuting, said: “The real Mr Fort did have an uncomfortable interview at the passport office.”

Judge Mowat bailed Fort to be sentenced on July 1 and said that he could be jailed.