People smugglers who let immigrant die in lorry jailed for total of 17 years

Stephen McLaughlin, 36, of Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and Martin McGlinchey, 49, of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, were found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday.

A third man, Taha Sharif, 39, of High Cross Road, Tottenham, was found guilty of the same offence following a trial at Basildon Crown Court in July last year. He is due to be sentenced on June 23.

During the course of a three week trial, the court heard how UK officials had found 12 Afghans in a locker inside a lorry transporting frozen chips in Coquelles, France, on August 5, 2014.

More immigrants were found on August 16 inside a container at Tilbury Docks.

The group of 35 Afghans was found in a cramped space on top of plastic barrels full of liquid, with condensation pouring from the ceiling.

One of the men, 40-year-old Meet Singh Kapoor, was found dead.

A post mortem examination revealed he had died of natural causes but his family suffered the trauma of watching him die.

The container arrived in Tilbury after travelling on a P&O Ferry from Zebrugge Port in Belgium the previous night.

The court heard McGlinchy helped to organise the lorry’s movements and drove the container to Dover.

Mclaughin supplied the lorry and allowed his shipping account to be used for the container’s outbound and inbound journeys.

Sharif organised the loading of the people into the container.

Mitigating for McLaughlin, Mark Harries said little could be said in cases where a defendant had maintained his innocence.

But he said although the father-of-four organised the trips and other aspects of the operation, he was not a major player in the gang.

Mitigating for McGlinchey, Anu Mohindru said he his client appeared to be a “hard man” but he had broken down several times during both trials.

Sentencing the men Judge John Lodge said: “This was a sophisticated, well-organised operation.

“In my judgment, if you had completed the plan to smuggle people into the country it was a plan you would have been prepared to use again and again until you were caught.

“You knew the dangers of placing so many people in a container. These were strangers for who you had no feeling.”

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore, who led the investigation, said: "I welcome today's verdict and sentence, which reflect the serious nature of this sickening crime.

"Vulnerable people seeking help were treated in an appalling way at the hands of these greedy criminals, which prevented any prospect of medical help for Mr Kapoor.

"My thoughts remain very much with his wife, children, family and friends, and the other surviving asylum seekers who endured such distressing and shocking conditions.

"I am very grateful to the local Sikh community and the Red Cross who in the days following the incident were instrumental in quickly building a rapport between the victims and police as well as providing food and essential items.

"This has been a long and complex investigation involving a number of agencies and I would like to thank everyone involved in this case for their assistance.”

McLaughlin was found guilty by a majority of 10 to two and jailed for nine years.

McGlinchey was found guilty by a majority of 11 to one and jailed for eight years.