Powys: Deported Romanian woman repeatedly flew to Birmingham

Raluca Constantine appeared at Mold Crown Court via video link from HMP Styal on Monday morning after being arrested in Powys in July.

The 31-year-old admitted on Friday that she had entered the UK in violation of a deportation order.

Prosecutor Catherine Elvin told the court that the defendant was arrested on July 28 for theft and taken into police custody in Newtown.

When her fingerprints were taken, the results showed that she was Raluca Constantine, but with a different last name.

The Home Office was contacted and the police were informed by Immigration Services that Constantine, whose address was given as Belvidere Road, Princess Park, Liverpool, was the subject of a deportation order issued in December 2017.

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She was deported to Romania on January 12, 2018 under the surname Vasile.

Further investigations revealed that Constantine had made ten flights to and from Birmingham Airport between October 2023 and July 2024.

Defence lawyer Anna Price said: “I have to acknowledge the aggravating circumstances: the repeated trips to the UK and the commission of this one offence.”

“I would like to stress that this was only an offence and not a serious one.”

Ms Price said her client had two daughters in Romania, one of whom was “seriously ill”.

“Ms Constantine is a hairdresser and believed she could earn more money in the UK, so she travelled here to try to find work,” she added.

“Her plan was to send money back for her daughter’s treatment.

“Mrs. Constantine deeply regrets what has happened and has asked me to ask Your Honor for a lenient sentence so that she can return to her daughters.”

Judge Niclas Parry told an emotional Constantine: “Illegal immigration is a major concern in this country. There has probably never been such a concern.”

“The cost to the public in this country of trying to solve this problem is enormous and that is why the courts are asked or instructed to help by imposing deterrent penalties.

“This was a determined and repeated violation of the order.

“You have completely disregarded this. You have attempted to conceal your identity by using different names and even when you were here you have continued to commit crimes in this country.”

The judge said that while he had taken into account the impact an immediate prison sentence would have on the defendant's children, the case was simply too serious to warrant a suspended sentence.

For this reason, Konstantin was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

The judge said: “Even if this court cannot make that order, you will undoubtedly be deported. And you should understand that you will face a very severe sentence if you continue to disobey the deportation order.”