A PEOPLE smuggler who crammed five migrants including a five-year-old child into cupboards in a motorhome has been jailed for three years.
Joshua Bynoe, 29, had attempted to drive to the UK from France with five Afghan nationals concealed in storage benches in the cabin of his vehicle.
When Border Force officers stopped the van in January 2019 they found the stowaways in cramped claustrophobic conditions.
British national Bynoe was arrested at the scene and taken into custody by Border Force staff and Kent Police.
During a trial at Canterbury Crown Court it was heard how Londoner Bynoe had links to a criminal smuggling gang and had concocted a scheme to smuggle the migrants in the storage compartments from Europe into the UK.
He was sentenced today for assisting unlawful immigration having been found guilty at an earlier hearing.
Home Office Head Of South East Region Criminal & Financial Investigations – Steve Blackwell said: “Today’s sentencing shows that perpetrators of immigration crimes will be dealt with and prosecuted regardless of where they are located.
“Bynoe recklessly put the lives of five people, including a child, in danger by cramming them into a vehicle for hours.
“His only concern was making money, working with a smuggling gang with no thought for the vulnerable people they were exploiting. He was stopped in his tracks and will now face justice for his criminal actions.
“I’d like to thank my investigation team, particularly the OIC – Stacey Crockford, for their hard work on this case. We will continue to pursue people smugglers who try to undermine our border security and put lives at risk for profit.”
