Jersey Deputy Convicted of Immigration Law Breach

A senior Jersey politician is awaiting sentencing after admitting to multiple immigration offences linked to his business.

Deputy Philip Ozouf appeared before Jersey’s Royal Court, where he pleaded guilty to four counts of assisting unlawful immigration and one count of attempting to assist unlawful immigration.

The court was told Ozouf arranged for several Rwandan nationals to work at his company, My Eco Laundry, despite their lack of legal entitlement to do so. He has been granted conditional bail ahead of sentencing, scheduled for February.

Ozouf, first elected in 1999, has held senior positions including Deputy Chief Minister, Treasury and Resources Minister, and External Relations Minister. His political career has faced turbulence in recent years. In September, he was suspended for breaching the States Members’ code of conduct following a series of separate offences, including speeding, driving without valid insurance, and failing to attend parish hall enquiries.

He now faces these more serious charges alongside Roberto Lora, director of the Savoy Hotel. Lora has denied two counts of assisting unlawful immigration and two counts of attempting to do so. His trial is set to begin on 26 January before the Inferior Number.

Three of the charges relate to facilitating Rwandan nationals’ work at My Eco Laundry, while another involves assisting a Rwandan national at a property in St Lawrence.

The outcome of both cases will be closely watched, given the high-profile status of those involved.