A registered interpreter from Bradford has received a suspended jail term after he committed a “serious breach of trust” in allowing an illegal immigrant to translate tapes seized in a police counter-terror raid.

Noor Mohammad, 30, of Croft Leigh Court, Bradford, was impersonated by an unqualified Pakistani national on the run from the authorities who had outstayed his student visa. Mian Ahmed Jan, 27, also of Bradford, visited Greater Manchester Police HQ six times as he signed off exhibits which could have been used in future court proceedings.

Manchester Crown Court was told Mohammad agreed for Jan to attend appointments in his place but was unaware he would pose as him by using a fake ID card and forge his signature.

Sentencing him to four months in jail, suspended for 12 months, Judge David Stockdale QC told him: “The work interpreters carry out for the police, courts and other agencies is serious and important. This is a serious breach of trust.”

Timothy Brennand, prosecuting, said Pashtun speaker Mohammad was approached by GMP in February 2009 to assess cassettes seized in house raids. He agreed to help but sent Mr Jan, also from Bradford, in his place when he realised he was away on holiday.

He did not know Mr Jan was not a qualified interpreter but instead was classed as an overstayer. Jan, who he had known for a couple of months, had entered the UK in September 2005 on a student visa but was not granted an extension when it expired.

The fraud came to light by chance when the defendant’s travel expenses were queried and he was asked to attend a police station.

Ricky Holland, defending, said: “It is remarkable someone of such education should have got involved in it. He did not realise the gravity of what took place.”

Mohammad pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to three counts of fraud. He was sentenced concurrently on each count. He was also ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work.