Nursing agency couple enjoyed ‘significant income’ from recruiting illegal workers

A married couple who ran a nursing agency with “lucrative” public sector contracts flouted immigration laws by recruiting dozens of illegal workers, a court has heard.

Mahendrasing Caussyram, 51, and his wife Saraspedy Caussyram, 54, allegedly hired 52 overseas carers who were working illegally in the UK for CareFirst 24 Ltd in Sutton, south London.

The couple enjoyed “significant income” as directors of the company, which was paid almost half a million pounds by Sutton Council for care services over six years, a jury was told.

But some of their workers were providing 24-hour care for elderly residents in their homes for as little as £450 a week, it was claimed.

Opening the case at Croydon Crown Court, prosecutor Andrew Evans said: “Many of the carers who were sub-contracted by CareFirst 24 were overseas nationals from countries outside the European Union, in particular the Philippines – in other words, migrants.

“The rate of pay which carers were paid was not particularly good. Neither were the hours.

“In some cases they continued to work after their visas expired. They were what the Home Office terms as illegal overstayers.”

CareFirst 24, which was registered with healthcare regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC), provided services for Woking and Walton hospitals, Surrey Primary Care Trust and Merton, Sutton and Surrey councils, the court heard.

“It became both successful and profitable … with a number of lucrative contracts,” Mr Evans said.

“If local authorities had known at any time during that period that CareFirst 24 was providing services via carers not working lawfully in the UK … those services would have terminated and no further payment made.

“CareFirst 24 provided a significant income to Mr and Mrs Caussyram.”

Accountant Omid Nabbey, 37, who is also on trial, “laundered the proceeds of their criminal conduct” via his business Apple Payroll Solutions, Mr Evans added.

The Caussyrams, of Burdon Lane in Sutton, south London, and Nabbey, of Hartley Down, Purley, south London, deny two charges of doing acts to facilitate the commission of breaches of immigration law between January 2011 and January 2013 and concealing criminal property.

Most of the carers working illegally had student visas which did not allow them to be hired by CareFirst 24 as “self-employed sub-contractors”, Mr Evans said.

“CareFirst 24 and Apple Business and Payroll Solutions and the directors of those companies, the three defendants, were aware of these serious breaches of immigration law,” he added.

The trial, which is due to last six to eight weeks, was adjourned until tomorrow.

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