Iraqi illegal immigrant tried to con his way into UK by claiming to be pro footballer in his homeland

AN illegal immigrant tried to con his way into staying in Britain — by claiming to be a professional footballer with a price on his head.

The faker, 38, said his life would be in danger if he was sent back as the supposed club’s owners were enraged at him for quitting mid-season.

He told officials he had been forced to do a runner when the bogus Iraqi outfit had hired gunmen to shoot dead his brother.

The Home Office rejected his first asylum claim in 2019 but a string of appeals followed.

An immigration judge finally threw out his application for protection in the UK last month.

She said: “The basis of his claim involving his football career was found to be an invention.”

The asylum seeker, known only as AMO, had arrived in the UK “clandestinely” in August 2018.

The Sun has been gagged from naming him by a court anonymity order.

Tory MP Nigel Mills said: “As soon as it was discovered his story was fake, it should have been thrown out immediately.

“It’s a waste of taxpayer time and taxpayer money. There needs to be due process but there has to be a better and more cost-effective way to ensure spurious claims are dealt with quickly, instead of having a series of appeals.

“Any judge doing some pre- sifting could see this claim was nonsensical”.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “We do not routinely comment on individual cases.”