US fugitive unmasked

10:56am Wednesday 7th May 2008

A DUDLEY man who has been working as a fork lift truck driver and raised a family in the town has been revealed as a fugitive from the United States - where he is wanted on a weapons charge.

Raymond Heath entered the United Kingdom illegally under the name of Mark Legister - his wife's cousin who died during the 1980's in the New York area.

Heath started working for power coating firm in Dudley and had turned his life around using false name, but his sister-in-law reported him to the authorities, telling them the Jamaican born defendant was an illegal immigrant and was living in the town using the false identity.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how the 45-year-old fugitive, who is wanted in Philadelphia for possessing a weapon, was arrested at his home in Ernest Road and when searched by police, officers found documents in the name of Mark Legister.

The defendant admitted making a false statement to obtain a passport and was spared time behind bars by Judge Michael Challinor.

He told Heath: "The integrity of the passport service must be preserved and accordingly those who give false information must receive a prison sentence to deter others.

However the Judge ruled the offence was not the worst of its kind and added: "You have not offended for 15 years and you are a very different man who committed those offences in America.

"You are the father to young children, you are a hard working man and have held down employment. I am quite satisfied the risk of you re-offending is minimal. You have effectively rehabilitated yourself."

Heath, who has spent time in prison in the United States was handed a nine month jail term suspended for two years and was ordered to carry out 180 hours community punishment and pay £838 court costs.

Mr Gurdeep Garcha, defending Heath, said he had been living in the United Kingdom since 1996 and had been working hard and paying his taxes.

He also told the court a deportation notice had been served on the defendant and an appeal had been lodged against the decision.

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