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

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Caolan Gormley's trial has been delayed until 31 January 2023, with a review of the situation at a hearing on 4 March. Unsurprising with the court backlogs all across the country as a result of lockdowns.

Essex lorry deaths: Haulier Caolan Gormley trial delayed to 2023

 

[CaptainNancy]

A long delay.
While the driver he allegedly sent to do the work languishes in prison.

 

[Silverlink]

A long delay.
While the driver he allegedly sent to do the work languishes in prison.

Yep. Christopher Kennedy also spent time on remand before the trial in the high security Belmarsh prison, essentially in solitary confinement with very limited time out of his cell every day due to COVID restrictions while Gormley has been bailed and is currently a free man. Must be difficult to have charges as serious as this hanging over him, but it's going to be a lot easier when he isn't having to contemplate it all inside a prison cell.

Have no idea why they only went for Gormley after the others were sentenced when he was mentioned during the trial constantly in relation to Kennedy's charges. I'm assuming they must have thought Kennedy was primarily working under the direction of Hughes?

 

[CaptainNancy]

From everything reported and researched, it always looked to me as if EH and CK were as much exploited by cynical venal career criminals as they were guilty of the terrible acts they engaged in. Their relative youth, lack of education, relative poverty etc.

Not excusing them, but the law seems harsher on some than others.

They all committed the crimes, but EH seems not to have understood the plea process wrt manslaughter, and was penalised for having plead Not Guilty, and also seemed to be under coercion from RH following the German crash. CK, little education, difficult economic circumstances… while his boss repents (or not) at leisure, until the trial.

 

[CaptainNancy]

DCI Daniel Stoten has tweeted that Stefan Dragos Damian will be sentenced on Jan 14th.

 

[CaptainNancy]

DCI Daniel Stoten, who led the Essex Police investigation, has been awarded a medal in the NY Honours list. Well deserved.

https://www.essex.police.uk/news/es...ce-officers-recognised-with-new-year-honours/

 

[Ched]

Detective who investigated Essex lorry deaths 'humbled' by New Year honour | ITV News

 

[CaptainNancy]

DCI Daniel Stoten has tweeted that Stefan Dragos Damian will be sentenced on Jan 14th.

Anyone seen any update on this?

 

[Ched]

Trafficking gang ringleader jailed over involvement of 39 people found dead in Essex
A Vietnamese man has been jailed for 15 years in Belgium after he was found to be the ringleader of a gang that trafficked migrants who were found dead in a lorry in the UK.

Vo Van Hong was found guilty of leading a cross-Channel trafficking operation based in Belgium.

 

[Ched]

Essex lorry deaths: Trafficking gang ringleader jailed in Belgium

 

[Ched]

Essex lorry deaths: Ringleader of Belgian people smuggling network found guilty

 

[CaptainNancy]

I am wondering whether Vo Van Hong is the missing key player referred to as Fong? As this suspect was always referred to as ‘Fong’ ? Though I think was at the UK end of the operation.

 

[CaptainNancy]

Christopher Kennedy ordered to pay £6k compensation to victims’ families, and more details of his involvement in previous smuggling trips;
Essex lorry deaths: Smuggler to pay £6,000 to victims' families

 

[CaptainNancy]

Hanga and Calota also ordered to pay. This report includes Robinson but I think that was reported previously? Essex lorry deaths: Four to pay £31k to victims' families

 

[CaptainNancy]

Sentencing hearing of Dragos Stefan Damian in progress, this report gives more details of his role
People-smuggler fled UK 11 minutes after 39 migrants found dead, court told

 

[CaptainNancy]

Christopher Hughes, for the avoidance of doubt not involved in the Essex deaths, fined over €21k for under declaring VAT by more than €29k .

Sorry, haven’t got a share token for the whole article:
VAT fine for brother of migrant smuggler | Ireland | The Sunday Times

 

[CaptainNancy]

Another link, no paywall:

Haulier brother of people smuggler Ronan Hughes hit with €22k tax penalty

“It was the biggest published court-determined fine dished out for the offence in the final quarter of last year”

 

[Silverlink]

Christopher Hughes, for the avoidance of doubt not involved in the Essex deaths, fined over €21k for under declaring VAT by more than €29k .

Sorry, haven’t got a share token for the whole article:
VAT fine for brother of migrant smuggler | Ireland | The Sunday Times

Probably the only bit of interest is this, pretty desperate stuff:

McNamee McDonnell Solicitors in Newry, which represents Christopher Hughes, blamed the under-declared VAT on those who linked him to the people-smuggling operation.

“This VAT amount became due following the collapse of our client’s haulage business subsequent to the publication of [his] details in relation to the tragic events . . . in Essex,” it said, adding that Hughes is seeking substantial damages for defamation.

 

[Silverlink]

Dragos Stefan Damian has been jailed for 3 years and 10 months.

https://www.essex.police.uk/news/es...Vietnamese-nationals-found-in-lorry-in-Grays/

 

[Silverlink]

It has been revealed that Mo's brother-in-law was involved in a car theft ring and ran a chop shop on his farm.

Migrant killer Mo Robinson's brother-in-law admits to running car 'chop shop' on farm

The brother-in-law of mass migrant killer Mo Robinson could be joining him as a jailbird after confessing to running a car 'chop-shop' ring on his farm.

www.sundayworld.com