DUBLIN
(Reuters) - An Irish court on Friday approved the extradition of one of the two
Northern Irish men charged with manslaughter over the deaths of 39 Vietnamese
people found in the back of a truck near London last year.
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| FILE
PHOTO: Catholic priest Anthony Luong holds a candle during a mass prayer for 39
Vietnamese people found dead in a truck near London last month, at a church in
Nghe An province |
British
authorities are seeking Eamonn Harrison, 23, on charges of human trafficking
and immigration offences, as well as the 39 offences of manslaughter in a case
that has shone a light on the illicit human smuggling trade.
Judge
Donald Binchy deferred ordering Harrison's handover to Britain until Feb. 4.
Binchy said the lengthy judgment would not be available until early next week
and granted a request from Harrison's lawyer for more time to consider it.
The
discovery of the bodies in the back of a refrigerated truck after being smuggled
into Britain highlighted how poor citizens of Asia, Africa and the Middle East
pay large sums of cash to middlemen for perilous, illicit journeys to the West.
The UK
authorities, citing mobile phone analysis, cell tower data, and CCTV footage,
allege that Harrison delivered the trailer in which the people were found to a
Belgian port before its onward journey to Britain, a lawyer for the Irish state
said last month.
Harrison
had challenged the extradition order. His lawyer argued that a lack of
information in the warrant about the place of death and how Harrison was
involved made it "fundamentally defective".
Police in
Vietnam arrested 10 people last year in connection with the deaths. The British
driver of the truck has admitted plotting to assist unlawful immigration and
acquiring criminal property.
Another
man from Northern Ireland has been charged with conspiring to arrange the
travel of people with a view to their exploitation, and conspiracy to break
immigration laws. Two other men from the British-run region are also wanted on
suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking.
(Reporting
by Graham Fahy, writing by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Kevin Liffey, William
Maclean)
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ADDITIONAL TEXT
The High Court has ruled that a lorry driver wanted for his alleged role in transporting a refrigerated trailer in which 39 migrants were found dead in Essex last October can be extradited to the UK.
Eamon Harrison, from Mayobridge in Co Down, is being sought by the British authorities to face 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and conspiracy to commit human trafficking under the UK's Modern Slavery Act.
The 23-year-old is alleged to have delivered the trailer to a Belgian port before its onward journey to Britain, where it was collected from the Port of Purfleet in Essex by Maurice Robinson from Craigavon, Co Armagh.
Mr Robinson was arrested by Essex police at the scene and has since pleaded guilty in the UK to assisting illegal immigration.
The bodies of the 31 men and eight women were found when the trailer was opened a short distance away at a nearby industrial park.
In the High Court today, Mr Justice Donald Binchy approved the extradition of Mr Harrison.
He said there was nothing in legislation that precluded Eamon Harrison's surrender and he had considered making the extradition order today because it would not take effect for 15 days.
During the course of the extradition hearings here Senior Counsel Ronan Kennedy said that Eamon Harrison and another individual were "recruited" by another man.
One of the drivers he said was being paid €1,000 per trafficked person and on one occasion was paid €20,000,
Eamon Harrison, he contended, "knew" the migrants "were in the trailer" and that they had been locked into a sealed container unaccompanied for nine hours on a sea crossing that resulted in their unfortunate deaths.
The High Court also heard that recordings found on mobile phones belonging to the migrants suggest some were still alive after entering UK territorial water.
The court also heard that Eamon Harrison had been stopped in May 2018 driving a trailer containing 18 migrants.
Defence barrister Tony McGillicuddy asked the judge not to make the order today so as to allow time for Mr Harrison to consider an appeal.
Senior Counsel Ronan Kennedy said the State was not opposing the application.
Mr Justice Binchy agreed not to make the order today. He said the judgment was 50 pages long and time would be needed to consider it.
He remanded Mr Harrison in custody to appear again at the High Court on Tuesday 4 February.
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