People smugglers found guilty of bringing illegal immigrants across the English Channel after trial at Portsmouth Crown Court

Stephen Redhead, 47, of Horsbridge Hill, Newport, Isle of Wight, and Christopher Barber, 55, of Landguard Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, have today been found guilty by a unanimous jury of conspiring to do an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non EU person, contrary to the Immigration Act.

Their convictions follow a seven day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Jean Pierre Labelle, aged 45, of Ashey Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight pleaded guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court on February 3 to the same offence.

On March 17, 2020 Labelle travelled to Cherbourg, France, on board a 70ft ketch yacht named Anore with Redhead and Barber.

They returned to East Cowes Marina on the island on March 19 with 10 extra people who are suspected to have been migrants entering the UK illegally.

CCTV showed the migrants alighting the vessel and a report was made to Hampshire Constabulary following the incident, before being passed to officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) to investigate.

The migrants are believed to have been in the UK but have not been able to be traced.

Between June 26 and 27 June 2020, Labelle organised another journey using a small boat named Freedom.

On this occasion he was unsuccessful and the vessel used was intercepted after a joint operation with SEROCU, the National Crime Agency and French authorities.

Six Albanian nationals were found to be on board along with two criminal associates who were subsequently prosecuted in France. Checks established that the Albanian nationals did not have the necessary pre-entry clearance needed to enter the United Kingdom.

Labelle, Redhead and Barber were charged with the offence on May 25 last year.

Senior investigating officer Clair Trueman, from SEROCU, said: ‘Today’s convictions are the result of detailed investigation into people smuggling.

‘We know the dangerous that people face being smuggled across the English Channel and we know tragically, this and other methods can have lethal consequences.

‘We continue our work to tackle the people smugglers who seek to exploit UK borders and treat migrants as a commodity to be profited from, with no regard for their safety.’

Redhead was remanded in custody and Barber was released on bail until sentencing.

The defendants are due to appear at Isle of Wright Crown Court for sentencing on March 18.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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