Ethan Dighton secures conviction in multi-handed people smuggling case

Ethan prosecuted the case of Rex v K and A at Canterbury Crown Court before HHJ Fowler. Both defendants were charged with assisting unlawful immigration into the United Kingdom during the peak of national Coronavirus restrictions in April 2020.

The prosecution alleged that the pair worked together to fill their vehicle with PPE, telling Border Force officers that they intended to make a delivery to a Sikh Temple in Belgium to allow their travel during a time when only necessary foreign travel was permitted. K travelled out alone with the PPE and returned later that day, with the PPE still in his vehicle and now with a passenger, whose face was covered with a mask. K handed two passports to the Border Force Officer, in the name of K and A.

Officers quickly determined that the passenger was not A and arrested K on suspicion of people smuggling. K denied knowing who the passenger was or who A was. Phone enquiries revealed extensive communications between K and A in the run up to the incident and on the day itself. It was later discovered that K and A were brothers-in law.

The passenger was searched and was found with a mobile phone that had been activated the day before and located outside of K’s house the previous night, as well as a piece of paper containing A’s address.

The jury convicted both Defendants unanimously in less than an hour.