A ‘bride and groom’ faced magistrates yesterday after officials swooped on an alleged sham wedding in Bradford.

UK Border Agency investigators, supported by West Yorkshire Police officers, arrested six people at a Bradford Register Office ceremony earlier this week.

All six – four Hungarian nationals and two Pakistani men – were charged with conspiracy to breach UK immigration law by assisting in a planned sham marriage, and appeared at Bradford Magistrates Court yesterday.

The bride and groom – Zlatica Balogova, 28, and Tahir Naqqash, 25 – also faced a charge of knowingly or wilfully making a false oath or declaration to procure a marriage certificate or licence.

Naqqash was further charged with being in possession of a forged passport.

Naqqash, of Harewood Street, Barkerend, and Mohammed Taj, 41, of Sir Isaac Holden Place Centre, Princeville, Bradford, appeared from custody and followed the 35-minute proceedings from the secure dock through an Urdu interpreter.

Alan Petherbridge, representing bespectacled Naqqash, who was wearing jeans, a black T-shirt and black jacket, said he was not applying for bail.

Solicitor Mirza Ayub applied for bail on behalf of Taj, but it was refused by the Bench. Both were remanded in custody to next appear at Bradford Crown Court on June 7.

Balogova, of Stanacre Place, Wapping, Bradford, who had a nose stud and streaked blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, Ervin Lakatos, 42, of Stanacre Place, Natasha Cicuova, 32, of Maudsley Street, Barkerend, and Elemer Danihel, 30, of Prospect Road, Otley Road, Wapping, had the proceedings relayed to them by a Hungarian interpreter.

Prosecutor James Weekes said all matters could only be dealt with at the crown court, and asked the magistrates to send the case there for a preliminary hearing.

Applying for bail, Mr Ayub said Taj denied the allegations and he could be bailed with conditions of residence, curfew and reporting to police.

But magistrates’ chairman Neil Walker, remanding all defendants to Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday, June 7, told Taj he would remain in custody.

  • Read the full story in Friday's T&A