Portuguese man charged with trying to illegally enter Canada from cruise ship

St. John’s — Seems Jose Paulo Arruda Fernandes just can’t stay away.

The 52-year-old Portuguese man — who had already been deported from Canada several times — is suspected of trying to illegally enter the country again.

Fernandes reportedly had been a passenger on a cruise ship that pulled into St. John’s Harbour on Sept. 8. When Canada Border Services officials identified him, Fernandes was detained for several days before he was charged.

He made a brief first appearance in provincial court in St. John’s.

He was back before a judge Wednesday with defence lawyer Bob Simmonds.

Simmonds and Crown prosecutor Robin Fowler agreed to postpone the case until Oct. 2 until the Crown decides how it will proceed with the case. Fernandes agreed to go back to jail until then.

He faces four charges under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act — unlawfully using a document (a Canadian passport) to enter the country, unlawfully returning to Canada after being deported, intentionally misleading officials and using a forged passport.

Following proceedings, Fowler would not divulge details of the case to reporters.

However, according to the city’s cruise ship schedule, the cruise ship that entered the harbour on Sept. 8 was the Eurodam, from the Holland America cruise line. It had more than 2,000 passengers.