A MAN who helped his partner illegally travel to the UK through Southampton airport has narrowly avoided prison.

Southampton Crown Court heard that Klodjan Asllani, 36, flew from France into the city’s airport along with Erteza Koronaci on December 30, last year.

Prosecutor Eleanor Fargin told the court that upon landing at the airport Miss Koronaci produced an Italian ID card and told officers she was meeting someone named Michelle while in the country.

It was discovered that the ID was fake. Asllani was also noticed acting suspiciously at the airport. He was interviewed by police.

A probe found that he had asked friends to buy tickets for the flight and to give fake details for Miss Koronaci, who is appealing action to throw her out of the country.

Tim Akers, representing Asllani, said the couple have been together for two and a half years and live in Manchester, where Asllani has worked as a cleaner for six years.

He said: “The part he played was as part of her giving him an ultimatum when she said she would do it with or without his help.

“He did not wish to entertain the prospect of her coming on her own without any assistance and he made the mistake of assisting her.”

Asllani pleaded guilty to illegally assisting Miss Koronaci’s passage into the country and was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.