A businessman who travelled the world using a fake passport was jailed for a year yesterday.

Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday that George McCormack, 51, had ornate jewellery from Asia copied in Columbia and sold it on in South America and Europe.

But he made the trips while using a passport he had obtained under a false name, as he would not have been permitted to trade in countries such as India and Columbia because of his previous drugs convictions.

McCormack, of Oban Street, Jarrow, Newcastle, admitted two charges of making a false statement to obtain a passport and possession of a false instrument with intent, at an earlier hearing.