Chinese illegal immigrant Lin Long, 31, was stopped by police as he drove a Vauxhall Omega along Malvern Road without a driving licence and insurance.

Officers then searched his car after he gave them five different names and three different dates of birth.

Lewes Crown Court heard how Long was arrested after police seized £331 in cash and a total of 819 counterfeit DVDs from the glovebox and boot.

Prosecutor Alexandra Ward told the court: "Uniformed police stopped a Vauxhall Omega being driven by the defendant.

"He identified himself and admitted having no insurance. He also admitted that although he holds a Hong Kong driving licence he had been in this country for over two years.

"He was consequently driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He was unable to provide any identification.

"He provided an address in Essex but, when checked, it was found that no-one lived there.

"He went on to say that he stayed at that location on some occasions because it belongs to a friend of his. He said he had an address but did not know how to get there.

"Police searched the car and found £331 in cash which Long could not account for and also, in the glovebox and boot, a total of 819 counterfeit DVDs."

The court heard that the potential benefit of his crime was £1,150 as the DVDs were new releases and were not yet available in the UK.

Long, of no fixed abode, admitted driving without a licence and insurance, and applying a false trademark to goods following his arrest on May 18, 2005.

He was convicted by Crawley magistrates and committed to the Crown Court for sentencing.

Defending, Jane Penny told the court Long came to the UK illegally on a ferry four years ago.

"He has been absorbed into the Chinese community since his arrival and therefore doesn't have a fixed address.

"The simple purpose of him coming to the UK was to find work to send money back to his young family in China - a wife and a seven-year-old child.

"Being absorbed into this kind of activity he was controlled by those who are further up the scale. He was controlled in being told where to go, what to but and where to sell it.

"He had intended to sell the DVDs for £2, having purchased them for £1. Most of them had not yet been released.

"Being sold on the street at very low cost, it would have been obvious to those purchasing them that that they were not legitimate items of merchandise."

Jailing him, Judge Guy Anthony also banned Long from driving for a year and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the DVDs.

He told him: "Possession of fake DVDs is all too common. You were in possession of a very large number of very recently released films.

"Quite clearly you were in it to make an illegal profit. Only an immediate custodial sentence can possible be passed."