AN AFRICAN footballer who fled to the North-East from his war-torn homeland is set to be deported, a court has heard.

Ballo Ousmane trained with local league side Marske United, in east Cleveland, after previously playing professionally for Sabe De Bouna in the Ivory Coast top division.

But having arrived as a refugee in 2003 he failed to secure a temporary work permit and after his application for asylum was rejected he used a false passport to get a job.

Today at Teesside Crown Court he received a six month community order after previously admitting fraud and four charges of possessing a false identity document.

Ousmane, who claimed his father and two sisters were killed in a civil war, will be electronically tagged while serving a 10pm to 6am four month curfew, while steps are taken to deport him.

Prosecuting, Gillian Milton described Ousmane as a failed asylum seeker who was not allowed to work in the UK.

Ms Milton said that in June and July last year the 26-year-old registered with recruitment agencies in Middlesbrough, Stockton and Darlington.

He later produced a false French passport as proof of his eligibility to work in the UK and began working for Middlesbrough based SK Foods.

Ms Milton said that Ousmane, of Raby Road, Hartlepool, earned £1,796 between October 13 and March 4 this year.

Colin Harvey, mitigating, said Ousmane had recently been helping coach youngsters in football in Hartlepool.

Ousmane's efforts to remain in the UK had previously attracted interest from the likes of Redcar MP Vera Baird and a local charity which works with asylum seekers, Justice First.