39 bodies found in Lorry : illegals ?

39 bodies found in Lorry : illegals ?

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Discussion

Roderick Spode

3,094 posts

49 months

Thursday 7th January 2021
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JuniorD said:
Ructions said:
What’s the thinking on sentencing? I reckon 15-20 years. Hughes, Mo The Grass and Harrison will get a full transfer to a prison in the north of Ireland after 12 to 18 months and likely serve half their sentences.
I wonder if they’d be safer in jail or on the outside?
I don't think certain elements of Portadown society would take too kindly to these kinds of activities, so the gentlemen involved may find some difficulties if they are ever released and hope to return home one day...

CoolHands

18,640 posts

195 months

Thursday 7th January 2021
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Sleep well, cheeky Mo!

Ructions

4,705 posts

121 months

Thursday 7th January 2021
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JuniorD said:
Ructions said:
What’s the thinking on sentencing? I reckon 15-20 years. Hughes, Mo The Grass and Harrison will get a full transfer to a prison in the north of Ireland after 12 to 18 months and likely serve half their sentences.
I wonder if they’d be safer in jail or on the outside?
Don’t see why they would have any issues on the outside.

They’re an odd ‘gang’ for want of a better term. Robinson a loyalist from an extreme loyalist area and Hughes would have connections to what could best be described as dissident republican elements. Loyal to the pound/euro I suppose.

Harrison is an oddball. He was not a popular young man in Cloverhill prison.

Ructions

4,705 posts

121 months

Friday 22nd January 2021
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A Co Armagh lorry driver who pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter has been sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison.
Maurice Robinson, 26, from Laurelvale (main image), was handed the sentence at the Old Bailey courthouse in London this afternoon (Friday).

Robinson, who picked up the fatal trailer from Purfleet docks on October 23, 2019, discovered the lifeless bodies of the 39 tragic migrants.

The Old Bailey heard how he had been paid £25,000 for picking up migrants from Belgium on a previous occasion – £1,000 for each migrant.

At a sentencing hearing earlier this month, the court heard how Robinson – who also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property – was “horrified by what he saw” that fateful day.

In passing sentence, Mr Justice Sweeney says the defendants, which included Co Armagh man Christopher Kennedy and Ronan Hughes, participated in a sophisticated, long-running and profitable conspiracy to smuggle mainly Vietnamese people across the Channel from May 2018 to October 2019.

He also described the migrants’ deaths as “excruciating”.

He added: “There is nothing I can say or do which would reflect the entirety of their lives, or reflect the loss to their families” but he expressed his “sincere condolences” to the relatives of the 39 victims.

In his sentencing remarks, the judge referred to haulier Hughes as playing a “leading role” in the conspiracy. The court heard how the 41-year-old had a previous conviction for smuggling six million cigarettes.

In addressing truck driver Eamonn Harrison, from Mayobridge, the judge said there is no doubt he “lied” during his trial. His defence team said the Co Down man was “immature” and a borderline alcoholic.

Justice Sweeney said people trafficking “undermines the UK government’s attempts to restrict and control immigration” which “was a concern to the general public”.

The sentences were as follows:

Ronan Hughes was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Maurice Robinson jailed for 13 years and 4 months.

Gheorghe Nica was jailed for 27 years.

Eamonn Harrison sentenced to 18 years in prison.




JuniorD

8,627 posts

223 months

Friday 22nd January 2021
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Those sentences are a lot longer than I expected. Good riddance to them.

Vipers

32,886 posts

228 months

Friday 22nd January 2021
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OMG, poor Maurice Robinson, his neighbous said how nice he was laugh

Good result.

anxious_ant

2,626 posts

79 months

Friday 22nd January 2021
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JuniorD said:
Those sentences are a lot longer than I expected. Good riddance to them.
Yes, but most likely they will not serve the full term.

over_the_hill

3,188 posts

246 months

Saturday 23rd January 2021
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Compare that to the PC Andrew Harper case where it could be argued the culprits were much more responsible for his death

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-46544144#:~:...

Driver Henry Long was jailed for 16 years
Accomplices Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole received 13 years