A MARRIED woman and a man pleaded not guilty when they appeared in court accused of being involved in a sham marriage.

Eva Dankova, 42, who is Slovakian, and Muhammed Khalil, 34, a Pakistani national, both of Devonshire Street West, Keighley, appeared before a judge at Bradford Crown Court yesterday.

They are charged with conspiring together, between November 11 last year and June 11 this year, to do an act, a sham marriage at Keighley Town Hall, which facilitated the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non-European Union (EU) person.

This was intended to obtain a residence permit for 'the groom' Khalil, who was not a citizen of the EU.

Dankova also pleaded not guilty to a further charge of bigamy, which is dated from February 2 this year.

Both Dankova and Khalil, who was wearing a black jacket, black tee-shirt and blue denim jeans, only spoke to confirm their address and their pleas during the 15-minute hearing.

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Dankova, who was wearing a pink top, and black trousers and had her dark hair tied back, spoke through a Slovakian interpreter.

Dankova and Khalil left the courtroom together after their plea and case management hearing.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, who presided over the hearing, set their trial date to start on Monday, December 14, at Bradford Crown Court. It is scheduled to last for two days.

They were both placed on conditional bail until their trial begins.

As part of their bail conditions, Judge Thomas ordered them to surrender all travel documentation, including their passports.

The pair must also report to Keighley Police Station three times each week.

They had previously indicated not guilty pleas during a previous appearance at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court in June this year, where they appeared from custody. They were granted conditional bail by magistrates.