Mo Robinson court appearance: Lorry driver accused of killing 39 migrants 'is part of global ring of people smugglers'

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A lorry driver accused of killing 39 migrants who were found dead in a refrigerated trailer is thought to be part of a “global ring” of people-smugglers, a court heard this morning.

Maurice Robinson, 25, was arrested shortly after the bodies of 31 men and eight women were discovered in the back of his lorry on an industrial estate in Grays, Essex, last Wednesday.

He is now accused of the manslaughter of all those who died, as well as alleged people trafficking, immigration breaches and money-laundering.

At Chelmsford magistrates’ court this morning Robinson appeared briefly via videolink. He spoke only to confirm his identity and British nationality. He was remanded in custody by District Judge Timothy King.

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of lorry driver Maurice Robinson, 25
PA

“This involves a global ring facilitating movement of a large number of illegal immigrants into the UK,” said Ogheneruona Iguyouwe for the prosecution.

Robinson, from Craigavon in Northern Ireland, is accused of 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and money-laundering.

He did not make an application for bail as the case was sent to the Old Bailey for a plea hearing on November 25.

39 Bodies found in a container at Waterglade Industrial Park, Grays

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Three others arrested over the deaths, a man and a woman, both 38, from Warrington, Cheshire, and a 48-year-old man from Northern Ireland, have been questioned and released on bail.

A 23-year-old man arrested in Dublin on Saturday is said to be “a person of interest” in the investigation. He is suspected of driving the container to Zeebrugge before its trip across the Channel, but appeared in court in Ireland on unrelated charges.

A spokesman said Essex Police were liaising with the Garda via telephone as the man was outside their jurisdiction.

Hoang Thi Ai, mother of 18-year old Hoang Van Tiep who is feared to be among the 39 people found dead
AFP via Getty Images

Police initially believed the victims were Chinese, but up to 24 Vietnamese families have reported missing relatives whom they fear to be among the dead.

Britain has sent documents to Vietnam for ID checks on four of the migrants. Deputy foreign minister Bui Thanh Son said the dossiers had been given to the ministry of public security for “verification coordination”.

Mr Son said this morning: “The ministry is developing dossiers of possible victims but until now there have been no grounds to confirm Vietnamese nationals are among the victims.”

The youngest victim is feared to be a 15-year-old boy, Nguyen Huy Hung, whose contact with his family ended abruptly on October 22, the day before the bodies were discovered.

Vietnamese national Hoang Van Tiep, 18, is feared to have died with his cousin Hung Nguyen, 33. Mr Tiep left home two years ago after his family got a £13,500 loan to pay for him to travel to Russia and on to France.

His mother Hoang Thi Ai cried as she was pictured with her son’s photograph at their house in Vietnam’s Nghe An province.

All of the victims have been moved from the vehicle in Tilbury Docks to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford for post-mortem examinations.

Police trying to identify them will examine tattoos, scars and belongings, including phones, jewellery and clothing, with each of the victims said to have had some kind of bag. More than 500 exhibits have been collected.

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