UK - 39 bodies found in lorry container, Essex, 23 Oct 2019 #2

[CaptainNancy]

It is this aspect that makes the whole thing even darker.
On the surface, there is a network of haulage companies and drivers facilitating illegal immigration and making a lot of money. But I doubt that they are directly involved in the mechanisms modern slavery and people trafficking that very likely lies at the heart of this - people kept in bonded illegal work, paying back the debt for the travel, forced into prostitution and hydroponic cannabis farms. Though...how could they not at least have wondered?

 

[CaptainNancy]

Finally!
Lorry driver extradited to UK over Essex deaths

Eamonn Harrison is in the hands of Essex police.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Finally!
Lorry driver extradited to UK over Essex deaths

Eamonn Harrison is in the hands of Essex police.

About time! Thanks for the post.

 

[CaptainNancy]

He has appeared in court this morning, charged with manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic, and assisting unlawful immigration, and back in the Old Bailey August 20th.

Driver in court over Essex lorry deaths

I will be very interested in what comes out in questioning EH: he will know who he picked the trailer up from - which should lead to who was responsible for loading the victims into the trailer.

Also whether any actions of EH led to an increased risk of the death the migrants suffered - missing the ferry or failing to turn on a ventilation fan, for example. i.e why these migrants died in this trailer, when previous and subsequent migrants in similar trailers have survived.

If he missed the ferry, everyone else in the chain - Mo, RH etc, should have realised that the air would run out.

I suppose none of this will be made public until, the trial in October.

 

[CaptainNancy]

Six of them in a plea hearing at the Old Bailey yesterday:

Man denies smuggling 39 Vietnamese migrants who died into UK | Daily Mail Online

So, so far the court case seems to be:

Charged and admitted:
Maurice Robinson (manslaughter plus immigration and conspiracy)
Alexandru Hanga (conspiracy)

Charged with but denying manslaughter (plus related offences)
Ronan Hughes
Eamonn Harrison
Gheorghe Nica

Charged with but denying immigration / conspiracy offences:
Gazmir Nuzi
Christopher Kennedy
Valentin Calota

Also:
Thomas Maher, charged with drugs smuggling, money laundering and conspiring to commit GBH wit Ronan Hughes.

The people arrested in Germany and France.

Mysteries:
The man arrested in Dalston?
Stansted man?

Presumed still under investigation:
Christopher Hughes.

Anyone else?

 

[CaptainNancy]

EH due in the Old Bailey tomorrow.

I would imagine one of the regular appearances before the actual trial. Let's keep our Googling fingers ready and alert.

 

[CaptainNancy]

The Old Bailey appearance seems to have been delayed until today.
Harrison, Hughes, Nica, Calota Kennedy and Nuzi are all in court today. Trial still set for Oct 5th, so I guess this will just be routine case management.
Six men - including three from Northern Ireland - due in court over Essex lorry deaths

 

[CaptainNancy]

No more news of Thomas Maher anywhere?

 

[Ched]

Haulier Ronan Hughes, 40, of Co Armagh in Northern Ireland, has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to the manslaughter of migrants who were found dead in a container in Essex last October

 

[Ched]

Essex lorry deaths: Haulier Ronan Hughes pleads guilty to manslaughter of migrants found in container

 

[CSIDreamer]

Essex lorry deaths: Haulier Ronan Hughes pleads guilty to manslaughter of migrants found in container

I wasn't expecting that. Jmo

 

[Silverlink]

"Eamonn Harrison from Northern Ireland, pleaded not guilty to the same charge."

Ronan Hughes pleads guilty to manslaughter of 39 migrants found dead in lorry

 

[Silverlink]

"During the hearing on Friday, Gazmir Nuzi (42), of Barclay Road, Tottenham, north London, appeared at the Old Bailey by video link and pleaded guilty to a single charge of assisting unlawful immigration on or before October 11 2019 and April 18 2020."

"Remanding the defendants into custody, Mr Justice Sweeney said the trial would go on for five weeks instead of eight. A further hearing was fixed for September 21st for a pre-trial review"

Irish haulier pleads guilty to manslaughter of migrants in Essex

 

[Silverlink]

A statement from Ben Julian Harrington, the Chief Constable of Essex Police.

 

[CaptainNancy]

I wasn't expecting that. Jmo

I wasn’t expecting that either!

That leaves Harrison very exposed, with his boss and the driver who collected the trailer both admitting guilt. I can’t imagine what his defence will be.

 

[Silverlink]

I wasn’t expecting that either!

That leaves Harrison very exposed, with his boss and the driver who collected the trailer both admitting guilt. I can’t imagine what his defence will be.

Have a feeling we could see his lawyer playing some games relating to which jurisdiction the offence was committed in.

His mental state may also be used, he required a special needs assistant when he was in school and a request was put in for mental health support after his arrest in Dublin, so his lawyer may try and claim that he was vulnerable and coerced into smuggling by Hughes.

 

[CaptainNancy]

Depending on the role of Nica, it may also be that Harrison is claiming that he had no knowledge that the trailer contained human beings. It could be that he picked the trailer up from someone else with the people already on board.

But the reported events of his movements after the deaths were discovered don't quite seem like the movements of a lorry driver pulling trailers for usual commercial business. And reports that he disposed of his phone, etc.

What does it mean for the trial they two of the key protagonists have pleaded guilty? They will presumably not now be questioned about their activities in court, so their testimony won't need to tally against that of Harrison and Nica? Can their statements be used against Harrison and Nica as evidence, whether or not they testify in court?

I am assuming that much of Hughes' activities will now not be made public in court?

This could arguably be very convenient for many parties.

 

[CaptainNancy]

A few more details confirmed about Hughes’ involvement and actions:

Monaghan smuggler Ronan Hughes ran death truck operation

 

[CaptainNancy]

Given that RH and Thomas Maher have been accused of threatening GBH (No mention of that charge from the Old Bailey reports) and I think EH was warned about threats...I wonder if there is any connection.

 

[PS136]

Given that RH and Thomas Maher have been accused of threatening GBH (No mention of that charge from the Old Bailey reports) and I think EH was warned about threats...I wonder if there is any connection.

They are clearly two cheeks of the same arse. Operating as a part of a criminal organisation. Different arms operating importation of drugs, human trafficking, cigarettes etc.
EH sadly is the whipping boy...he screwed up the operation. Undoubtedly because of this huge bungle RH & Maher felt they had a lot too loose. It would not be surprising that the threats came from them or on orders from those higher up.

I do believe this investigation has opened a huge Pandora’s box and that it is only a matter of time until others known by investigative team get brought in. They will certainly know names and be doing further investigations on them.

MR and others can claim they only did ‘several’ of these illegal runs, but these investigators are not silly. They know now this criminal organisation has been operating for some years. EH must have other information that RH and Maher di not want leaking. They have plead guilty, but EH is certainly scared. He certainly must of profited from being involved yet he’s a man of modest means? Very iffy