INTERPRETERS used in immigration case work were never told they were working for a "sham" company involved in an alleged fraud, a court heard yesterday.

Case workers employed by Bradford-based Chambers Solicitors were asked to book the interpreters directly and the interpreters were then paid by Chambers.

But Chambers' immigration supervisor Neil Frew, 48, said he had been told by the law firm's boss Mohammed Ayub not to tell the interpreters they were really working for Legal Support Services which the prosecution claim is a "bogus" company used to swindle nearly £600,000 from the Legal Aid Agency.

Frew said case workers were given an LSS database to book interpreters but they were not told they were working for LSS.

Cross-examined by Simon Kealey, prosecuting, Frew said: "I was told by Ayub not to tell the case workers. It didn't strike me as odd."

Asked if the case workers were ever told who they were working for he replied: "To my knowledge they were not told."

Ayub, 55, of Aireville Drive, Shipley; Frew, of Hoyle Court Drive, Baildon, and Mohammed Riaz, 48, of Southfield Square, Manningham, Ayub's brother and the owner of LSS, are on trial where they all deny conspiracy to defraud the LAA by claiming inflated expenses for using interpreters.

Frew admitted being involved in deciding the rates interpreters were paid but said he was doing it on behalf of Ayub.

"I was just a communication channel with the interpreters," he said.

He did not think it was "odd" that LSS was booking interpreters who were then paid by Chambers.

He said Chambers staff had been co-opted to work for LSS even if they were unaware of it.

He also denied removing interpreters' timesheets from Chambers files which the prosecution say would show how much the fees had been inflated.

"I presume it's because they were not required by the LAA," said the solicitor.

Patrick Harrington QC, for Frew, concluded his defence by asking if he had any regrets about lying to the police during interviews which Frew said was to protect his family.

Frew, a salaried partner at Chambers, replied: "I have total regret. It is probably one of the worst decisions I have made in my life."

The trial at Sheffield Crown Court continues.

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