A MAN charged with arranging a sham marriage in order to stay in this country was instead planning a shotgun wedding because he thought his partner was pregnant, a court heard.

Devine Abanda is on trial alongside Armand Djedje and Olivier Attie at Winchester Crown Court for conspiring to arrange a bogus union in order to apply for leave to remain in the UK.

Bridgegroom and Cameroon-born Abanda and his bride, Olivia Godefroy, were arrested by immigration officers at Winchester Registry Office on February 28, last year, the jury was told.

Defending Abanda was Simon Ward, who claimed French-born Godefroy, 22, lied about not knowing him and they actually forged an intimate relationship sometime in January 2014.

Mr Ward also accused Godefroy of claiming she was pregnant in the February which brought about the wedding – something Godefroy vehemently denies.

"I suggest you were seeing each other almost every night from January onwards," Mr Ward said. "Do you recall spending a lot of time at his address?"

Speaking with the help of an interpreter, Godefroy responded: "Maybe he dreams. I don't even know where he lives. I was forbidden to meet him, even talk to him, even to make any contact with him so the answer is no."

Abanda – who stood in the dock alongside the co-defendants wearing a white shirt and dark trousers - shook his head throughout her testimony.

Mr Ward said 27-year-old Abanda had suggested a ceremony at Winchester Registry Office as he had relatives in Basingstoke, after the couple were told they would have to wait months to get married at Camberwell as the registry office was being refurbished.

The court was told Godefroy went ahead with the wedding on the premise she would be paid money, after Djedje – known as ‘Pacombe’ – allegedly failed to her pay her £2,000 for a previous illegal wedding to Diedonna Ateh on January 6, 2014 - which Godefroy claims Djedje also arranged.

Godefroy pleaded guilty to bigamy at a hearing in March last year.

The trial continues