AN ILLEGAL immigrant paid thousands of pounds to marry a woman he barely knew in a desperate bid to stay in Britain.

Babar Khan shelled out £4,660 to arrange a sham marriage in Southampton in a bid to avoid being deported.

But the big day came crashing down when register office staff spotted the Pakistani national was unable to spell his bride’s name.

Police dramatically arrested the couple as they prepared to say vows at the ceremony in front of just two guests.

And while on bail the frantic groom made a last-ditch attempt to evade being sent home by fleeing to London alone before authorities caught him.

Today he is behind bars after being jailed for 20 months for conspiracy to breach immigration law and two counts of breaching marriage laws.

Khan, 24, of no fixed address, admitted the charges.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Khan was initially granted entry to Britain in September 2011 to study a three-year accountancy course in the capital.

But when he failed to attend classes immigration officers ordered him to apply for an extension or leave by the following June.

Prosecutor Siobhan Linsley told the court how Khan eventually paid money to a Mr Atta to arrange a marriage with a Southampton woman.

But register office staff were concerned when the pair arrived ahead of the ceremony on April 14 of this year Miss Linsley told the court: “He misspelt her name and they had no interest in seeing the room where it would take place and were vague about details.”

When arrested both gave “wildly conflicting” accounts of how they met, while “crib notes” with prepared answers were confiscated from Khan’s home, Miss Linsley said.

The woman, who is not being named, is believed to have received £250 for her part in the deal and police searching her home found no evidence of him ever living there, the court heard.

While on bail Khan escaped to the capital but was eventually re-arrested in September this year working in a factory.

In mitigation barrister Jane Rowley stressed Khan was not the main organiser of the scam and added: “He bitterly regrets his misguided action.”

She pointed out his previous good character and intentions to return to Pakistan and added: “His motivations to come here weren’t just greed.

“He wanted to make a constructive life in Britain.”

Sentencing, recorder Nicolas Gerasimidis branded it a “cynical attempt” to evade deportation and said: “This was a sham marriage and not genuine.

“You made the decision to stay in this country and went awol.

“You were burying your head in the sand to avoid the consequences of your actions.”

Khan will be deported to his home country on completing his sentence.

The woman is due to stand trial next year charged with conspiracy to breach of UK immigration law.

She denies the charge.