Illegal immigrant spared jail over bus ticket fraud

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Southwark crown court heard that Chinese national Ming Tang, 43, failed in his asylum bid in August 2005 but stayed here to take part in the racket.

Run by Triad gangsters, it led to more than 3,000 fake tickets a day being used on London's buses, at a cost of more than £1 million a year. Millions of fakes were produced, and were so convincing Transport for London changed the design.

Ming, a labourer from Epsom, was found guilty of trying to obtain property by deception, going equipped to cheat and possession of criminal property.

Judge Martin Beddoe spared him jail and ordered him to do 100 hours' community service. The judge said: "I accept you were vulnerable because of your status as an illegal immigrant. Your role was as a foot soldier."

The court heard Ming tried to sell some to a Stoke Newington newsagent in October 2005, but the shopkeeper was suspicious and alerted police. Ming was arrested on a bus the same day.

He claimed the Honk Kong 14K Triad gang had threatened to "chop off his hands" unless he sold them. Ming had left his four children and wife in China to come to Britain. He is appealing over the asylum decision.

It is thought that at the height of the fraud at least 10 per cent of £1 bus saver tickets in circulation were fake.

However, the jury at Southwark crown court found him guilty of the fake ticket scam. Tang came to Britain in 2005. His claim for asylum was refused by the Home Office and his appeal has yet to be heard.