UK - 39 bodies found in lorry container, Essex, 23 Oct 2019 *Guilty* #3

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Amazing level of detail from Jordan Milne - thank you so much for recording it here, Silverlink.

EH is on CCTV in the hotel with Nica...Nica knew that RH had smuggled migrants on the first two trips referred to in this case, and claims he thought the third trip was cigarettes or vodka. EH alongside him on the corridor says RH told him lorry parts. It really doesn't add up.

So frustrating that we won't be able to compare the testimony of these defendants with what RH and MR have said, or would have said in court had they been in trial.

We have seen a photo of the place where the migrants were loaded. Where does EH imagine a load of lorry parts were magically conjured up from to put in the trailer? No forklift? Hundreds of headlamps ferried up the ladder by Oompa Loompas, no doubt.
 
It's clear Harrison knew exactly what kind of cargo he was transporting. It's a desperate defence and the prosecution are clearly not falling for it. He was caught with migrants in his truck while driving for Hughes a year before the crash, so he's clearly been doing it for quite some time and can't claim that it was all about paying back debts for the truck he wrote off.
 
https://twitter.com/JEMilneSky/status/1329744667622203400
  • Eamonn Harrison denies stopping outside Lissewegge to jump out of his lorry and tap on the side allegedly signalling to the migrants inside that they needed to move into the middle of the trailer before he approached the port.
  • On the 14th October 2019 Harrison confirms he was in Bierne. Emlyn Jones puts it to Harrison that he is "Hughes's man on the continent". Harrison says "yes as a lorry driver".
  • Emlyn Jones is running through the events of the 14th/15th October 2019. Harrison says he did not see Christopher Kennedy on the 14th October - the jury are being shown a map locating them near each other on that date.
  • "My name is Eamonn Harrison not Christopher Kennedy, how would I know what he was doing?" says Harrison. On the 17th Oct Harrison returns to Nieppe.
  • On the evening of the 17th between 1700 and 1800 Harrison is "fiddling about" in Nieppe. "I wouldn't say fiddling about, that's your term" says Harrison. Harrison confirms he was directed by Hughes to come here to meet "Alex".
  • Harrison says he saw "Alex's" truck but not him. "I drove in, reversed down and then gone for a walk" says Harrison. He was away from the lorry for around 15 minutes. "I was told between 10 and 15 minutes" when asked if he had been told how long to be away from the lorry.
  • On the 17th Harrison met up with Robinson to swap trailers. Harrison had to meet Robinson again to get the necessary paperwork. This leaves Harrison with a trailer with a full load.
  • "I was led to believe there were stolen lorry parts going into that trailer" says Harrison. You've have dreamed up those stolen lorry parts haven't you? "No I have not" says Harrison.
  • Emlyn Jones now details calls between Robinson, Hughes and Harrison on the 17th and 19th Oct. "How did I know Robinson was in the lorry with Hughes?" says Harrison when asked if he knew Robinson was with Hughes on the 19th.
  • "Look, I don't own the lorries, I'm the driver, I work on the instruction of my boss. I'm the driver" says Harrison. On the 17th Harrison says "I am the driver" when asked why he didn't do anything on that day. "
  • "Am I Ronan Hughes? How would I know?" when asked how Ronan makes his money. On the 18th October Harrison confirms he got drunk on the evening. "I didn't want to be doing it" says Harrison when asked why he got drunk.
  • "I was drinking much heavier at that time" - says Harrison. He was drinking heavier on the 18th Oct than when he had an accident earlier that year.
  • "I'm drink driving, I'm in debt and transporting stolen lorry parts, would you love your job then?" says Harrison. "I didn't think it would be as much as it was" when asked how often he expected to transport stolen lorry parts.
  • Were you unhappy to be involved in people smuggling? "I didn't know I was involved in people smuggling" says Harrison. Moving to the events of the 19th Oct...
  • On the 19th Harrison has no load. On the 20th Oct Harrison returns the biscuits that had been rejected. After this the trailer is empty. EJ says the 39 migrants that ended up in Harrison's trailer on the 22rd, 2 of which had been in Kennedy's lorry previously.
  • "How did I know that?" says Harrison. "I didn't even know they were in there". After dropping off the biscuits Harrison agrees he put a seal on the lorry. He agrees the seal can be broken. EJ says when you had an empty trailer, you thought it was important to put a seal on?
  • To which Harrison says, yes. Because there were expensive parts inside. Court breaks for 20 minutes.
 
  • Returning from the break Harrison agrees that Hughes told him there was going to be a load from the Coca Cola factory. The load didn't materialise.
  • EJ runs through the movements of the 39 on the morning of the 22nd, all congregating to a small road in Bierne. "I just know I wouldn't have took that trailer to that port" says Harrison, if he had seen the migrants.
  • Harrison explains he turned into Chemin Noold Straete because Hughes had told him to. Harrison says he drove to the industrial estate. Harrison says he did not park by the barn. The GPS locator shows Harrison's lorry next to the barn.
  • "As you've said the tracker is not 100% accurate, I know where I was parked" says Harrison. Harrison says he does not get out the trailer or go for a walk at this point (1014am)
  • EJ says you are there and waiting for 26 minutes. At 1014 Harrison leaves the location again. In those 26 minutes no Romanian, no Alex, no Romo, no loading happens. Harrison agrees.
  • At 0912 the temperature in the trailer was 11.7 at 0922 the temperature was 11.7C. The first taxis turned in at 0921. At 0932 the next taxi arrives and the temp inside the trailer is constant - 11.7C
  • Next 10 minute reading the temp is still 11.7C, it hasn't changed and Harrison turns into Chemin Noold Straete 2 minutes after this. At 0952 and 1002 its still 11.7C - exactly the midway point of Harrison's first visit to the area that day.
  • At 1012 the temp has risen to 12.6C when Harrison is still at the location for the first time. He leaves at 1014. Harrison repeats "your expert has said that anything below 16C is not suspicious", Harrison repeats this again.
  • EJ says the temp has risen because the migrants are now in Harrison's trailer. "No it's not" says Harrison. Harrison returns to the location once another taxi arrives. "I don't turn and follow anyone in" says Harrison.
  • This time Harrison drives to a side street in the same location. "I didn't load illegal migrants, I didn't know there were illegal migrants getting in the trailer" says Harrison.
  • Harrison then goes for a walk. EJ says we know where the lorry is left that no one is being loaded into it at that point. "I don't know, I'm not by the truck at that point" says Harrison. At 1032 the temperature rises by 2.1 degrees in 10 minutes.
  • It was a double load, the 39 migrants wasn't it asks EJ. "I don't know" says Harrison. Harrison leaves and comes back. The jury are being shown the moment Harrison "takes his walk".
  • Harrison gets out and walks away from the lorry. EJ says this clip has formed the basis for your dishonest defence. You have built a lie around "oh they've got footage of me walking away from the trailer". "I don't know what you're getting at here" says Harrison.
  • "I'm not turning a blind eye, I'm led to believe something else is going on" says Harrison.
  • Court breaks for lunch.
 
  • Returning from lunch Emlyn Jones begins again, referring to Harrison's first defence statement.
  • Harrison says the man he met in field on the 22nd was there without a vehicle. He says it wasn't "Alex" that met him. Harrison says the man waved at him, he had black hair - other than that Harrison can't describe him.
  • Harrison says he has no idea where the stolen lorry parts were going to come from. "I didn't know that was the person I was supposed to meet at that time" says Harrison.
  • Harrison is seen on a CCTV camera getting out of his lorry to a grassy area. At 1019/1020 Harrison is seen walking away from his lorry. "I walk up. Walk the grass and go to the line on the road..."
  • "Walked over to the man. He clearly knows who I am, he's expecting me. I walk over to him... he made a gesture of where he wanted me to put the truck and then made a gesture when I put the truck there to pull the curtains."
  • "After that I walked back to the truck, I got in the truck and drove over to where he directed me to go" says Harrison. EJ says the full extent of the conversation exchanged between Harrison and the man was "The UK. Yes. Cameon." (Could be carry on can't hear it properly)
  • CCTV is now being played of Harrison walking back to his lorry, very slowly, adds Harrison. Harrison gets back in the truck. Harrison says he sits in the cab for a bit longer and calls Ronan.
  • Harrison says he was expecting Alex. But because the stranger moved, it got Harrison's attention. EJ asks is it the case you were waiting for the migrants to be ready and waiting in position when you pulled the lorry up? "No" says Harrison.
  • Harrison says he walked along the river, the water feature. EJ asks what do you think is happening? "I was picking up stolen goods... I didn't think in my head there was another agenda".
  • "I wish I had decided to look in the trailer" says Harrison. EJ asks where did you think the stolen goods were coming from? "I didn't think" says Harrison.
  • The jury are now being shown an aerial image of the area where Harrison says he was walking near a water feature. Harrison is saying the water feature isn't shown on the photo because its an old photo, he's asking for a more up to date one.
  • Where were the migrants asks EJ, "I don't know" says Harrison.
  • The jury are now being shown CCTV of the lorry pulling into the port that show ladders that were down when he left Chemin Noold Straete are now up Harrison denies going to the back of the truck, denies opening the doors. He says he doesn't know how the ladders were pushed back up
  • EJ says Ronan Hughes found out about the disaster when Robinson called him after his terrible discovery. That was at 0117 on the morning of the 23rd. Within half an hour of finding out about the deaths, Ronan calls Harrison.
  • Harrison says he didn't answer, he wasn't sitting up waiting for a call. When asked what he thought Ronan was calling about, Harrison says "he was probably thinking about his lorry".
  • 0245 Hughes calls again. Harrison says he's in his bed. At 0822 Hughes calls Harrison and they speak. Harrison says Hughes was asking if he had heard from Maurice Robinson.
  • At 1010 Hughes calls Harrison again. They speak for 3 and a half minutes. 20 minutes later Hughes calls Harrison again. EJ says this is because the two of you are in a world of trouble, you the two of you and others were the cause of those deaths. "I didn't know they were there"
  • Harrison says by the time of the call with Ronan in the morning, Harrison already knew what had happened. It had been on the news. He says it was only once he was talking to Ronan that he knew it was the trailer that he had delivered.
  • Harrison says he hadn't seen the news at 0822, his friends had got in touch to ask if it was Mo's lorry.
  • Harrison says his friends know that lorry belongs to Ronan Hughes and so his friends called him because they know he drives for Ronan Hughes.
  • Harrison says he didn't know what had happened. He says he WhatsApped Ronan Hughes to call him. EJ says this is something he has not told the jury before, to which Harrison says "you didn't ask before".
  • "I wish I had have told the truth sooner but I was scared, I still am" says Harrison. Court breaks for 15 minutes.
  • The jury are now being shown an aerial image of where Harrison says he walked, showing the range of view of the CCTV camera. Harrison describes which direction he walked in.
  • Court concludes for the day and so to does Eamonn Harrison's cross-examination.
 
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I can't see the case listed at the Old Bailey yesterday or today. I wonder whether they will start on Kennedy or Calota next?
 
CaptainNancy said:
I can't see the case listed at the Old Bailey yesterday or today. I wonder whether they will start on Kennedy or Calota next?
Click to expand...

Yesterday was Christopher Kennedy.

Lorry driver accused of 39 migrant deaths says he did not know he was part of people smuggling ring | Daily Mail Online

Very odd that Caolan Gormley was only arrested and isn't being charged with Kennedy (that's if he's facing any charges at all) even though it appears that played a big part in organising the offences that Kennedy is up for.
 
On his reaction to being arrested last November, he said: “I was panicking. I did not know what was going to happen. I just didn’t know what to do. I have never been in that situation before.”

Kennedy admitted he had initially lied to police, saying he was “embarrassed” and did not want his family to find out.

Mr Scobie asked: “Why was it that you decided during this case to set it all in front of the jury?”

Kennedy replied: “Because I was afraid my family would find out the truth of what I was doing. I got to the point where I had to tell the truth. I could not do it any more.”

The defence lawyer said: “Did you have any knowledge you were being tasked to bring in migrants into this country?”

Kennedy replied: “No. After the 18th I realised there some something going on.”

During his cross-examination, prosecutor Mr Emlyn Jones said: “I suggest you simply swapped one set of lies for another and you are now relying on a sham defence that you made up literally at the last minute.

Kennedy replied: “No.”

‘No coincidence’ ejected migrants were among 39 later found dead, court told
 
Just at the moment Robinson made the dreadful discovery, Hughes was on the phone to Kennedy, jurors heard.

Then while Robinson was relaying the news to Hughes at 1.19am, Kennedy was trying to get hold of him too, the court was told.

Exactly 46 seconds after that call ended, Hughes rang Kennedy, who was on the continent with a load of wine.

Mr Emlyn Jones said: “Bearing in mind the situation Hughes found himself in at that particular time, can you help us why it was that he felt it necessary to speak to you?”

Kennedy said: “He was phoning me back.”

The prosecutor asked: “So it’s business as usual for him, is it?

“As far as you are concerned nothing in this phone call gave you any impression something unusual, terrible, disastrous had happened?”

The defendant replied: “He was with me, yes.”

Mr Emlyn Jones went on: “Seven minutes or so have passed and Hughes finds the time to give you another ring. What’s this about?”

Kennedy said Hughes told him there was a “problem” with his booking to travel by boat from Zeebrugge with the wine and he should go by train instead.

The prosecutor said: “I suggest to you, Mr Kennedy, you are making this up and Mr Hughes, dealing with 39 dead unlawful migrants, is not at the time calmly carrying on with you about your load of wine and whether you are on the boat or on the train.

“You have had to dream up an excuse for this call.”

The defendant insisted he was telling the truth.

The court heard that was the last time either Kennedy or Hughes used their burner phones.

Mr Emlyn Jones suggested: “Is it that Hughes was telling you: ‘There’s been a crisis for God’s sake, get rid of your burner phone’?”

Essex lorry trial people-smuggling accused Kennedy was ‘in the loop’ over 39 migrant deaths, jurors told
 
“Mr Emlyn Jones suggested: “Is it that Hughes was telling you: ‘There’s been a crisis for God’s sake, get rid of your burner phone’?””

..... and whatever / whoever else is in the trailer with the wine.

Perhaps.

Given the pervious ‘mixed case’ in the trailer that Kennedy was pulling.
 
A van driver has described how he was duped into people smuggling five days before 39 migrants were found dead, telling jurors: “I should have minded my own business.”

Valentin Calota, 38, claimed he unwittingly took a load of people from Essex to London on October 18 last year.

Jurors have heard the migrants had been shipped from Zeebrugge to Purfleet in a trailer then transported to Orsett, where they were picked up in a van.

The defendant said he was wearing earphones and had the radio on for the hour-long trip to London and had no idea they were there.

The Romanian haulier told jurors he was “shocked” to be arrested as part of the investigation into the deaths of 39 Vietnamese people who suffocated on the journey to Essex days later on October 23 last year.

Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, Calota said he was “misled” by a Romanian acquaintance, Gheorghe Nica, who had offered to pay him £700 to transport cigarettes.

Essex lorry deaths trial accused: ‘I should have minded my own business’
 
All these drivers of lorries and vans looking straight ahead or not seeing what was loaded. I am most concerned that no one seems to have wing mirrors.

How could he have thought cigarette smuggling, on a scale big enough to pay him £700 a van load, would be carried out by people with holdalls?
 
Every "cog in the wheel" of the people-smuggling operation that ended in the deaths of 39 migrants in a container was in the know, a court has heard.

Four men are accused of being part of a wider people-smuggling plot after the Vietnamese migrants were found in a lorry trailer in Essex in October 2019.

In his closing speech after nine weeks of evidence, prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones challenged the defendants' claims they were not aware what was going on.

Two of the men also deny manslaughter.

The trial has heard the 39 Vietnamese victims, aged 15 to 44, suffocated in the sealed trailer en route from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Purfleet in Essex.

Mr Emlyn Jones told the jury: "It's organised crime and it is an organisation with a number of moving parts and for it to work everyone needs to know their role, perform their role correctly... not mess it up.

"With quite so much money at stake none of that can be left to chance."

The court has heard that a consignment of 15 people represented - at £10,000 a head - £150,000.

Mr Emlyn Jones said if they "get greedy" and squeezed 39 migrants in one trailer, there was £390,000 to be made for a single shipment which was "almost all profit".

He went on: "It is, we say, inconceivable that serious and organised criminals would get involved in a network without precise agreement [about] how the money would be divvied up and how much money was involved.

"If any cog in the wheel does not know what they are dealing with - there is immediately and obviously a risk of the whole thing going wrong and I suggest no organised criminal group would entertain that risk for a second.

"Everyone we suggest has to be in the know. It's just a question of common sense."

Essex lorry deaths: 'Every cog' in people smuggling plan 'in the know'
 
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