A “DESPERATE” lover tried to smuggle his girlfriend into the country, only to be caught in Southampton with her hiding in the boot of his car.

Peter Evans had contacted numerous agencies, including Amnesty International, in a bid to get advice on how to bring Filipino partner Melany Rivera into the country.

The 49-year-old, who met Ms Rivera while working in Cyprus, was so concerned that she may be forced to go back to the Philippines he bought a car and a one-passenger ticket to board the Gran Bretagna merchant vessel from Limassol to Southampton.

Southampton Crown Court heard that Evans feared Ms Rivera would face adultery charges back in her homeland.

In a last ditch bid to protect her, the pair spent days onboard the vessel with Evans moving Ms Rivera between their cabin and car to ward off the authorities.

However, when immigration staff in Southampton checked Evans’ car, Ms Rivera was found in the boot of his £300 Honda Civic.

Prosecutor Timothy Compton said: “Evans purchased the car and spent £1,500 on a passenger fare for the voyage.

“During the trip Evans spent all the time in his cabin and only coming out to get food before going back and eating it with Ms Rivera.”

He added: “He would move Ms Rivera between the car and cabin when the ship was docked. His room was searched in Cork when they docked but the authorities on that occasions did not find her under the bed.

“It was an act of desperation.”

The court heard that Evans had initially moved to Cyprus with his ex-wife but fell in love with Ms Rivera while he was there.

Evans, who worked as a mechanic while in the country, and his partner were forced to move in with friends after Ms Rivera lost her job on Christmas Eve in 2016.

He was worried Ms Rivera would be forced to go back home, where she is still married.

But after contacting refugee charities who said they could offer no advice until she was in the country, Evans took matters into his own hands.

Guy Draper, mitigating, told the court Evans had tried to bring Ms Rivera back “for love not finance” and made a “silly error of judgement” in trying to smuggle her in.

He said: “It was desperation and his sincere love for Ms Rivera that made him do this.”

Ms Rivera had an initial application to be granted permission to live in this country refused by the Home Office. Since gaining asylum here after the boot incident in November, she has sent in another application.

Evans, of Southgate Gardens, Hull, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.