3 men from the Isle of Wight have received prison sentences ranging from 3 to 8 years for their involvement in smuggling 10 migrants into the UK via East Cowes Marina.
As previously reported by Island Echo, 47-year-old Stephen ‘Lord’ Redhead, of Horsbridge Hill in Newport and 55-year-old Christopher Barber, of Landguard Road in Shanklin, were 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.
45-year-old Jean Pierre Labelle, of Ashey Road, in Ryde, pleaded guilty to the same offence at Portsmouth Crown Court on 3rd February.
Now, the trio have been handed immediate prison sentences with Labelle jailed for 8 years, Redhead for 5 years and Barber for 3 years respectively.
It was on 17th March 2020 that Labelle travelled to Cherbourg in France onboard a 70ft ketch yacht named ‘Anore’ with Redhead and Barber. They returned to East Cowes Marina on 19th March 2020 with 10 additional people who are suspected to have been migrants entering the UK illegally.
CCTV was examined showing 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 due to the incident being retrospectively reported.
Labelle played a primary role in organising and arranging two trips to Cherbourg, France, having also been involved in the acquisition of vessels to undertake the journeys. He was also responsible for recruiting others with the necessary expertise to successfully get the vessels to and from France.
Labelle recruited Redhead, who had good knowledge of one vessel they used, called the ‘Anore’. In turn, Redhead recruited Barber who had engineering expertise. All 3 were clearly motivated by financial gain, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, and gave very little regard to the safety of the people they were transporting to the UK.
VIDEO: The moment that 10 people disembark the Anore at East Cowes
Between 26th June and 27th June 2020, Labelle organised another journey from the Isle of Wight to Cherbourg 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.
6 Albanian nationals were found to be on board along with 2 criminal associates who were subsequently prosecuted in France, including Josh Van Praagh from Bembridge. Checks established that the Albanian nationals did not have the necessary pre-entry clearance needed to enter the United Kingdom.
Senior investigating officer Clair Trueman, from SEROCU, said:
“Redhead, Barber and Labelle have been sentenced to substantial prison sentences for their parts in smuggling people in to the country.
“This concludes a detailed investigation into organised immigration crime by the South East Regional Oganised Crime Unit with the support of the National Crime Agency, UK Border Force and French authorities.
“The consequences of people entering the country illegally are never far from news headlines – often with all too familiar tragic headlines. While on this initial occasion 12 people did arrive in the UK without incident, they are believed to have entered the country illegally and have subsequently disappeared without trace.
“The sentences issued recognise the gravity of the offence and we will continue our work to target those who bring people in to the country illegally, taking gambles with the lives of fellow human beings, in order to profit.”
Peter Stevens, NCA Regional Head of Investigations, has said:
“People smugglers risk lives for the sole aim of profit, and these men were no different. This is why we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle the organised criminal gangs involved, along every step of the route. I’m delighted that through joint working with the NCA, SEROCU and the French authorities we have been able to put a stop to this criminal enterprise and secure these convictions.”
If you read the report properly you would of realised that they’ve fled without trace.
Has someone smacked his lordship in the face? Just a shame it wasnt a lot harder. These people are actually traitors to the nation, them and their like are quite possibly bringing in terrorists and criminals, at the very least another load of financial drainage.
Il wager island echo censors and deletes this comment……..