An illegal immigrant convicted of his part in a £1million fake bus ticket scam has escaped a jail term.

Chinese national Ming Tang, a 43-year-old labourer from Epsom was convicted of being part of a gang which produced thousands of fake £1 saver bus tickets.

Southwark Crown Court heard the father-of-four was caught with more than 1,800 tickets after trying to sell them to a Stoke Newington shopkeeper in October 2005.

Tang was convicted of attempting to obtain property by deception and possession of criminal property after the judge rejected his claim that he had been forced in to the racket by Triad gangs.

Judge Martin Beddoe said Tang had stood to make a significant amount of money from the scam.

Tang was ordered to carry out 100 hours of community service.