A fine of $40,000 or a prison sentence of six months was the options facing a woman who was hauled before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

She is Amara Jones of a Corporate Area address. Jones is charged with obtaining documents by false means.

The court heard that Jones obtained a passport in a fictitious name, knowing that it had been unlawful to do so. The woman, however, told Senior Resident Magistrate (RM) Judith Pusey that she did not know that it had been a problem to do so. This did not impress RM Pusey who, instead, told Jones that it was a problem.

Jones told the RM that she was trying to obtain a passport in order to look after her mother who is disabled. RM Pusey subsequently ordered that the fine be paid.