Man from Swansea jailed for 10 years after migrants found in lorry in Newhaven
Seven people were found in Anas Al Mustafa's van at Newhaven Ferry Port
Last updated 6th Sep 2024
A man from Swansea who smuggled seven people into Newhaven Ferry Port in a compartment just two metres wide has been jailed for 10 years at Lewes Crown Court.
Anas Al Mustafa from the Heather Crescent area was convicted of assisting unlawful entry to the UK after it was found he was crossing from Dieppe with migrants hidden in the back of his van in February this year.
Six men and a woman were heard calling for help before they were discovered starved of oxygen and taken to hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration.
At the sentencing, Judge Laing KC said:
"“I am quite satisfied on the evidence that you were not a mere driver, closing his mind to the obvious and being prepared to simply drive the lorry into the UK.
“I am quite satisfied that you were involved in altering the van itself or arranging for it to be altered to create that space.
“Preparing the van to conceal the hide so effectively involved a considerable degree of organisation, which played a considerable role in my judgement."
She continued that Al Mustafa knew of the "high risk of death and serious injury as a result of the size of the hide and the lack of any air supply.
"I have no doubt you knew how small the space was and the risk of life this would create particularly when the van was stationary.
“When the alarm was raised … I accept you were told to stay to one side. But it says much about you that, rather than watch the rescue of those unfortunate migrants, you took the time to delete searches from other events from your phone."
"The numbers of those risking their lives to come to the UK would be much reduced if there were not people like you not prepared to make money for their desperation.”