29 Jan 2007

Australian conman Foster faces possible jail time in Vanuatu over immigration charge

4:27 pm on 29 January 2007

Australian conman Peter Foster is expected to learn within the next two days if he'll be jailed on immigration charges in Vanuatu.

Foster made a brief court appearance in the capital Port Vila today, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of entering the country without a valid visa.

A more serious charge of entering without a valid passport was dropped last week in return for a promise that Foster would admit the other charge.

Prosecutors today asked the court to hand Foster a 12-month jail term.

But his defence lawyer Nigel Morrison argued that a mid-range fine was appropriate.

Foster illegally entered the country earlier this month after skipping bail in Fiji, where he was facing fraud charges.

He is also wanted by the Federated States of Micronesia over an alleged bank fraud.

Foster has convictions for fraud and has served jail time in Australia, Britain and the United States.