Sham wedding accused denied bail
- Published
A woman accused of agreeing to act as a bride in a sham wedding cried as she was refused bail in court in Antrim.
Naydyne Bothelo, 26, from Portugal but with an address in London was charged with three counts of assisting unlawful immigration.
She faces two counts of bigamy related to multiple marriages.
The wedding was stopped by immigration officials in Larne on Monday. The court was told she was paid £3,000 and already had two Nigerian husbands.
Her solicitor said she had cooperated with police and denied the second wedding. She is due to appear in court again in Larne on Friday.
Maria Auxilia Barbosa Dos Santos, 32, and, Carina Patricia Fana Da Silva Rodrigues, 28, both Portuguese nationals, who were to be witnesses to the planned wedding appeared at the same court charged with assisting unlawful immigration.
Maria Dos Santos was remanded in custody until 19 April. Carina Rodrigues was granted bail.
A 29-year-old Bangladeshi national is due to appear at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Wednesday in connection with the sham wedding.
A fifth person was released on bail pending further enquiries.
The UK Border Agency has described a sham marriage as typically occurring when "a non-European national marries someone from the European Economic Area, or the UK, as a means of attempting to gain long-term residency and the right to work and claim benefits in this country".