An asylum seeker who sexually abused a girl after entering the UK illegally claimed to be Jewish in an attempt to stay in Britain.

The Iraqi national, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, allegedly concocted a story that he was Jewish and would be at risk if returned to Iraq, a predominately Islamic country.

In addition, he also claimed to be “gay or bisexual” to avoid being deported from the UK.

The man also tried to claim he faced danger if he returned to Iraq because his father had joined IS.

He was jailed for three years in 2020 for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, just months after arriving in the UK illegally.

He was found guilty of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and for grooming and meeting a girl under 16.

An immigration judge at Manchester Civil Justice Centre heard the man’s asylum case in July after a three-year battle to stay in Britain.

Judge Susan Michelle Kebede said it was “implausible that he would wish to hide his sexuality” in 2018 when he completed his asylum questionnaire.

The court heard the asylum seeker only raised the matter for the first time after the notification of a deportation action in 2020.

Judge Kebede ruled his story was “inconsistent” and that he “fabricated his account in all respects” to try to enhance his asylum claim and remain in the UK.

Since the 2003 Iraq war, around 51,000 Iraqis have applied for asylum in the UK. More than 6,000 arrived last year, the majority (4,377) by crossing the English Channel in small boats.

However, the majority of Iraqis asylum claims since 2003 have been refused. Only a fifth (11,647) have been either granted some form of leave to remain in the country and just a tenth (6,097) have been given refugee status.