Uninsured Driver’s Fake Italian ID Foiled by Bilingual Cop
Devious Kleris Harizi thought he could wheel his uninsured Vauxhall Astra around Gateshead undetected. But when police stopped him in May, his patchy cover quickly unraveled.
“Carlos Sorrento” No Match for Italian-Speaking Sergeant
The 22-year-old handed over an Italian passport but no other paperwork. Under arrest, he claimed his name was “Carlos Sorrento” to Custody Sergeant Mark Forshaw. Trouble was, Sgt Forshaw speaks fluent Italian.
“I asked him a couple of questions in Italian and he just looked dumbstruck. I told him he wasn’t Italian and his head and shoulders dropped,”
said Sgt Forshaw.
He reckoned “Carlos Sorrento” was made up, pointing out Sorrento is a famous Italian town and even a car brand. The fraudster’s bluff didn’t stand a chance.
Six Months Inside and Deportation Looms
- Harizi, from Bensham Avenue, Gateshead, admitted using a fake ID, obstructing police, driving without a licence and without insurance.
- At Newcastle Crown Court on September 21, he was jailed for six months.
- The Albanian national, who came to the UK in 2017, now faces deportation after his release.
“It was just his luck he came face-to-face with the only custody sergeant who could speak the language of the country he was claiming to be from,” added the officer.
