Charlene Wilson
A Fife father is facing jail after using fake documents to enrol his son in school a year early because his wife couldn’t cope with having all nine of their children at home.
Shahazad Aslam, 40, from Kirkcaldy, admitted charges of fraud and attempted fraud at Cupar Sheriff Court on Thursday by enrolling his son in a primary school in April 2011, using false documents to confirm the child’s identity.
The court heard that the boy, who we have chosen not to name, studied at the school for a year despite being too young to attend school and that Aslam carried out the offence as a means of helping his wife, who was struggling to cope with their large family.
Fiscal depute Joanne Smith said Aslam initially contacted the school pretending he had a different first name and surname.
“At that time he was advised of certain requirements regarding identification documents. He provided those on June 29 2011 including a birth certificate that he said had been translated into English.
“In addition he presented a photocopy of a passport in the name of the child. The enrolment was deemed compliant and the child attended school from August 2011 onwards.
“The child was part of an earlier intake than he should have been — the birth certificate had different dates of birth.”
Ms Smith added that in the months that followed there were “difficulties” with the child attending school.
After he failed to attend in August 2012 Aslam was contacted, at which time he told the school he planned to enrol the boy in a different Fife school.
Problems arose however when Aslam asked his child’s school to forward copies of identification documents to the new school but they refused.
Ms Smith said: “He then said his child would stay where he was.”
The court heard, however that Aslam’s wife, later attended the new school and provided the child’s genuine documents, including his original passport and birth certificate, which were compared with the original ones held at the first school and the offences therefore came to light.
“Police were then advised and the accused was interviewed under caution but the accused denied any wrongdoing and appeared confused about the allegations.”
Aslam’s defence lawyer, Ryan Sloan admitted it was a “highly unusual case”.
“Essentially if the child had been born six weeks earlier he would have been in that school year,” he said.
Sheriff Charles Macnair QC deferred sentence until June 11 at Dundee Sheriff Court for the preparation of a criminal justice report and restriction of liberty assessment and released Aslam on bail.
Source: thecourier
