An illegal immigrant who tried to flee the UK six times by stowing away on cargo ships leaving Avonmouth docks has taken a step closer to going home.

Rashid Ali has been trying to return home to Morocco since 2004.

The 31-year-old hid on boats bound for Morocco five times, then spent three years in an immigration detention centre while the Home Office failed in attempts to repatriate him, Bristol Crown Court heard. Two days after he was released in November last year he was caught at Avonmouth docks again, hiding on a boat.

He admitted burgling a tug boat and stealing a mobile phone, burgling a refinery building to get a coat, breaking down a door to get food an unauthorised entry into a restricted harbour area.

Recorder Michael Hubbard QC handed him a sentence of 160 days in prison. Time spent on remand means, with remission, he has already effectively served a 152-day prison sentence.

His three years' detention is thought to have cost the British taxpayer more than £218,000.

The court heard Ali wanted to go home had left Morocco before he reached the minimum age to get an identity card.

Sentencing Ali, he said: "The purpose of this sentence is to enable you to be released early next week so immigration workers can continue the good works they have carried out for a long time now to try and get you back home."