Winchester prisoner faces deportation for second time after illegally entering UK

Asllan Cenaj, of no fixed address, was originally removed from the country for cultivating some 500 cannabis plants on a farm in Folkestone in 2020 while living as an illegal immigrant. 

But appearing at Winchester Crown Court via video link on Wednesday, September 28, the Albanian pleaded guilty to breaching a deportation order. 

The court heard the order was made in October 2020 after he was sentenced to two years behind bars for the production of the Class B drug. 

After serving a chunk of his sentence, Cenaj was removed to Albania by the Home Office on April 9, 2021. 

But he once again came to the attention of immigration authorities on August 24 this year in Britain after he was arrested for a further drugs matter. He has been in custody ever since.

Due to legislation changes in June, the court heard the 33-year-old could have been slapped with a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the offence.

READ MORE: North Baddesley man given suspended prison sentence after being pursued by police

However, as Cenaj admitted he re-entered the country in December 2021, Judge Adam Feest KC agreed he should be tried under the existing law at the time - lowering the custody limit to six months.

Mitigating, Richard Jefferies said: "His life is actually centred in Albania, he has a wife and two kids aged 10 and eight who both live there.

"He came to the UK in December to fund medical treatment for his mum and therapy for his son and has been working in construction."

Cenaj was sentenced to three months in prison with the time he has already served since his arrest to be deducted.

No order for costs was made although a statutory surcharge was applied.

Judge Feest took his guilty plea into account while imposing the sentence.

He said: "It's likely you'll only serve half of that term before technically being released, although I anticipate the existing deportation order will be enforced almost immediately."