Enfield woman who took citizenship tests for others admits fraud

A woman who used “an array of wigs” while completing UK citizenship tests for other people has admitted fraud.

Josephine Maurice, from Enfield in north London, pretended to be both women and men when she took the Life in the UK Test on behalf of 13 applicants between 1 June 2022 and 14 August 2023.

Visiting multiple test centres, Maurice wore wigs and other disguises in an attempt to help people fraudulently obtain leave to remain in the country.

Appearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court via video-link from HMP Bronzefield, the 61-year-old admitted conspiring to commit fraud with others over the scheme and to possessing two people’s UK provisional driving licences without reasonable excuse.

The Life in the UK Test is a requirement for anyone seeking to obtain indefinite leave to remain or to become a British citizen.

It consists of 24 questions aimed at proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and society.

Applicants pay £50 to take the test, which has questions such as “who was king of England at the time of the Norman invasion in 1066?” and “how often does Prime Minister’s Questions occur when Parliament is sitting?”

Home Office immigration enforcement criminal and financial investigation inspector Phillip Parr said that Maurice was believed to have “orchestrated a premeditated plan to avoid detection, meticulously selecting disguises and test centre locations across the country to evade the authorities”.

He added: “As with many criminals who commit this type of crime, we believe her motive was financial gain.”

Maurice, of Enstone Road, was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on 20 May.