Aylesbury man involved in conspiracy to smuggle migrants into UK convicted

A man from Aylesbury has been convicted for his role in a dangerous, international people smuggling scheme involving a lorry.

Eoin Nolan, 53, from Aylesbury and Daniel Loughran, 36, worked together from England and Northern Ireland to organise the movement of the Vietnamese nationals from Belgium on 5 March 2020 – less than five months after 39 people died trying to make a similar journey.

The migrants, eight of whom were children, had been given a pre-determined rendezvous point in the Rue de Forts area of France where they met the driver, Duncan McLaughlin, 64, from Glasgow. They were then hidden in a load of used tyres ahead of being driven from France to Zeebrugge in Belgium where they would have been loaded onto a ferry to Purfleet, England.

NCA investigators believe they were charged in the region of £15,000 each for their passage to the UK.

However, the Belgian authorities, who were working with the NCA to track the lorry, were able to move in and intercept the trailer at a parking area in Gentbrugge, Belgium, before it was able to board the boat.

The NCA investigation found that Nolan, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was responsible for sourcing a driver for the journey and arranged for McLaughlin to travel from Scotland to Kent to pick up an HGV and take a ferry to France to drive the migrants from their pick-up point and across Europe.

Throughout the trip, McLaughlin remained in contact with Nolan to ensure that the migrants were collected on time.

Wayne Sherlock, 44, from Dover, Kent, was another gang member who was convicted for his role in the conspiracy in June 2020 and received a four-year prison sentence following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

Loughran worked with Sherlock to arrange for an HGV tractor unit to be moved from Ireland to Kent on 4 March 2020, ready to be used in the smuggling attempt the following day.

Messages between the group showed detailed planning including routes, logistics and how the migrants should enter and hide in the vehicle. They included: "might want to load them [the migrants] in the dark boss" and "yes with the wheels inside they can get in and sleep". In another chain, they said "they need to stay still and wait till doors open and we shout out to f***".

In a joint operation between the NCA and Belgian police, McLaughlin was arrested close to Bruges and all ten migrants were rescued. He was bailed and fled the country, being convicted in his absence in October 2021 and sentenced to 37 months imprisonment and an 88,000 euro fine.

Nolan and Loughran were arrested by NCA officers and convicted of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration following a five-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court today (6 February).

They will be sentenced on 16 April.

David Cunningham, NCA Branch Commander, said: "Despite the tragedy that led to the deaths of 39 migrants in Purfleet in 2019, this gang sought to take advantage of this group of Vietnamese nationals, most of whom were children, putting them at risk by smuggling them across the English Channel. Each of the migrants were charged thousands of pounds and hidden in inhumane conditions.

"These smuggling gangs show complete disregard for the safety and wellbeing of those who decide to use these dangerous methods to try to enter the UK. Once payment is made by the migrant they simply become a commodity for transportation.

"Tackling organised immigration crime and bringing all of those involved to justice is a priority for the NCA and we will continue to work with all of our international partners to stop this inhumane, illegal and dangerous criminality."

Tarika Jayaratne, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "The defendants in this case made significant efforts to avoid and undermine the checks and controls we have on immigration at our borders. They also put the safety and wellbeing of the vulnerable children they were smuggling at risk for profit.

"The CPS is continuing to work with law enforcement partners to discourage, disrupt and dismantle this exploitative trade through prosecutions and cross-border collaboration."