A POLISH couple who each married a Nigerian in two sham weddings have been jailed.

Josef Badzo, 40, and Maria Pretczynska, 54, from Spencer Road, Bradford, were also witnesses at each other’s ceremonies which took place six months apart.

Badzo was sentenced to 16 months for assisting the unlawful immigration of his fake bride Mercy Idehen, 44, by marrying her at All Saints Church, Clayton-le-Moors, in May 2009.

He also admitted perjury for being a witness when his real girlfriend Pretczynska also staged her wedding.

Pretczynska was photographed on her wedding day to Nigerian national Lukman Durojaye, 43, in December 2008 at a church in Levenshulme, Manchester.

She was jailed for 16 months at Burnley Crown Court for the same offences.

The Nigerians, Idehen and Durojaye have already been jailed for obtaining leave by deception.

They will be deported at the end of their jail term.

It is the latest sentence following a number of successful operations in East Lancashire on sham marriages which are carried out for a fee — usually around £2,000 — paid for by the person trying to stay in the UK on a marriage visa.

Dave Magrath, head of the UK Border Agency immigration crime team in the North West, said: “These sentences send out a clear message to anyone thinking of taking part in this kind of criminal activity.

"We have specialist teams of immigration officers and police working to investigate cases just like this to ensure people are not able to benefit from breaking the UK’s immigration laws.

“Whether you take part in the marriage or arrange for others to stage fake weddings we are determined to track down those involved and bring them to justice.”