Two South Wales Police officers seconded to the UK Border’s Agency have played a key role in jailing an American fraudster who was living illegally in the UK using the identity of a teenager who had died in a car accident.
William Victor Bernson III was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment after stealing the identity of Greg Smith – a fellow American who died in a car crash in the 1970s.
Bernson was able to acquire a legally-issued US passport under Greg Smith’s name and a decade ago travelled to the UK under his false identity.
Living in Brynderwen, Cilfynydd, near Pontypridd, Bernson worked as an online writer for several years.
The US authorities eventually discovered that the “Greg Smith” passport had been fraudulently obtained and contacted the UK Border Agency’s Immigration Crime Team.
Following an investigation which revealed how Bernson had stolen the dead teenager’s identity, he was arrested at his Cilfynydd home and charged with two fraud offences under the ID Cards Act and two offences of entering the UK by deception.
He admitted all the offences and was sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday (11 June) to 16 months in prison.
Seven similar offences were admitted and taken into consideration by the court and Bernson also faces deportation to the USA at the end of his sentence.
South Wales Police Sergeant Steve Evans is currently seconded as Head of the UK Border Agency’s Cardiff Immigration Crime Team, with DC Steve Jones from South Wales Police also working in the team.
Immigration Crime Teams are made up of specialist police and immigration officers and investigate offences committed by foreign nationals who have no legal right to be in the UK.
Sgt. Steve Evans said:
“This was a serious fraud in which this individual stole a dead person’s identity and used it to create a new life in the UK.
“Working with the American authorities, we were able to expose Bernson’s fraud and prevent him from profiting further from his dishonesty.
“The UK Border Agency’s Immigration Crime Team in Cardiff is cracking down hard on this type of offence committed by foreign nationals.”
Anyone who has information on immigration offenders in Wales can contact the UK Border Agency on 029 2092 4727.
