[A] MAN who was accused of employing an illegal immigrant at a West Cumbrian nail bar has been acquitted after no evidence was offered against him.
Ngoc Nguyen, 49, had been facing two charges, both of which he denied during a Carlisle Crown Court hearing earlier this year.
One alleged the employment of a person – at Workington’s Diamond Nails – with cause to believe they were disqualified “by reason of immigration status”. The second charge had alleged the contravention of an illegal working compliance order.
Both alleged offences were said to have been committed at Workington on July 8 last year.
Mr Nguyen, of the town’s New Oxford Street, was due to have gone on trial at the crown court today (TUES) as part of what was said to be one of the first prosecutions of its type.
However, barrister Mark Stephenson told Recorder David Swinnerton that a decision had been taken by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) not to offer any evidence against Mr Nguyen, who was assisted during today’s short hearing by a Vietnamese interpreter.
“I can tell Your Honour,” said Mr Stephenson, “it has been considered at the highest level as far as the CPS is concerned.”
Recorder Swinnerton entered not guilty verdicts in respect of both charges denied by Mr Nguyen, and he was told: “You are free to go.”
