A 28-year-old man was jailed for 12 months on Tuesday after he was found guilty of assisting the illegal entry of third country nationals into the Republic.

Famagusta district court sentenced the man after finding him guilty in a case concerning conspiracy to commit a felony, assisting illegal entry and illegal stay in the Republic.

The convicted man was arrested in July following testimony against him that on May 5 this year, he transported two persons for a fee from the Famagusta district to the Pournara asylum seeker reception centre.

He was also accused of detaining their luggage, asking for more money in return.