25/11/2019

NI Lorry Driver Admits Plotting To Assist Illegal Immigration

Northern Irish lorry driver Maurice Robinson has pleaded guilty to plotting to assist illegal immigration.

The 25 year-old from Co Armagh is accused over the deaths of 39 people, who were found in the back of a refrigerated lorry in Essex last month.

He appeared at the Old Bailey today, Monday 25 November, via video link and pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to assist illegal immigration between 1 May 2018 and 24 October 2019.

The charge states that he plotted with others to do "an act or series of acts which facilitated the commission of a breach of immigration law by various persons".

Mr Robinson also admitted to acquiring criminal property, namely cash, on the same dates.

He was not asked to plead to the 39 charges of manslaughter against him.

The bodies of the eight females and 31 males discovered in the trailer were later found to be Vietnamese nationals.

The defendant, of Laurel Drive in Craigavon, was remanded in custody until a further hearing on December 13.



(JG/CM)

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