Joshua Bynoe (29) has been jailed for 3 years after a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.
The court heard how on Monday 24 January 2019, Border Force officers conducted a search of a motorhome, driven by Bynoe, bound for the UK in Coquelles, France.
Upon searching the cabin, officers discovered 5 Afghan nationals, including a 5-year-old child, concealed inside storage benches in cramped claustrophobic conditions.
Bynoe was arrested at the scene and taken into custody by Border Force staff and Kent Police.
The court heard how 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.
Today (Friday 6 September 2024), at Canterbury Crown Court, Bynoe was sentenced to 3 years in prison for assisting unlawful immigration after being found guilty at an earlier hearing.
This sentencing is the latest development in an extensive investigation launched by Home Office Criminal and Financial investigators into people smuggling routes into the UK.
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 5 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 pursue people smugglers who try to undermine our border security and put lives at risk for profit.
