A Doncaster/Iraqi/Kurdish asylum seeker has been spared a prison sentence by a judge who told the court he’d never heard such a testimony in his life.

Delshad, pictured, was in court because he’d been working as a welder although as an asylum seeker he is not allowed to take paid employment.

Through his barrister he explained his life story: his persecution and torture for being a communist in Iraq, harrassment of his family, his escape to the UK and seven years waiting for a decision on his claim for asylum.

During the long separation from his wife and family Delshad has worked voluntarily helping fellow asylum seekers and others in Doncaster where he has become a popular and well-known personality.

He took the welding job after years of living on vouchers so he could send money to his wife and family in Iraq, and use it to buy shoes, clothes, bus fares and beer for himself.

After hearing Delshad’s catalogue of mitigating circumstances the judge declared he was not going to send him to jail but instead passed a six month suspended sentence.