TWO women accused of taking part in 'sham marriages' in a bid to flout UK immigration laws have been cleared.

Jolanta Gardynik and Karolina Kosche were found not guilty by a jury at Southampton Crown Court after they had stood on trial for marrying two Asian men in order for them to stay in the country.

Prosecutors believed the women were part of a bigger conspiracy, that saw a number of Polish women marry Asian men for visa purposes across Southampton.

However, the jury were directed by Judge Gary Burrell QC to return not guilty verdicts, as there was no evidence that either defendant had any knowledge of the wider conspiracy.

During the trial, which began last Monday, the court heard that Ms Gardynik had attempted to marry Indian-born Rajpal Singh in a ceremony in August 2014.

But just weeks before the ceremony, police raided a flat in Lower Canal Walk, belonging to Justyna Sobieraj - the woman at the heart of the conspiracy.

In the property, police found paper containing personal information relating to Mr Singh and a folder with details about the proposed ceremony.

Just as Ms Gardynik and Mr Singh prepared to tie the knot, immigration officers swooped on the Bugle Street venue and arrested him.

He was later released and is said to still be wanted by authorities three years later.

Ms Gardynik said her marriage to Mr Singh was for love.

Ms Kosche admitted her marriage was not genuine but she said she was coerced into marrying Gurpreet Singh, an Indian national who initially came to England on a student visa.

After Mr Singh's visa was extended until August 2014, the Home Office later cut it to June that year.

But in February 2014, he visited Winchester Register Office with Ms Kosche and the pair announced their intention to marry.

The duo, who claimed to live together in St Mary’s Road, tied the knot a month later.

During the trial, Ms Kosche said she was "scared" into marrying Mr Singh by Sobieraj.

The court heard that Mr Singh had since been deported to India.

Last week, Sobieraj pleaded guilty to the conspiracy in masterminding marriage ceremonies in the city to ensure non-EU nationals could remain in this country after their visas expired.

She will be sentenced on Wednesday.