Men who smuggled Albanians into UK are jailed

The defendants, who were arrested at Shotley Marina, had denied trying to smuggle five men into the UK

Two men who tried to smuggle a group of Albanians with a history of violence into the UK have been jailed.

Karolis Laurinavicius, 40, of Lea Road in Waltham Abbey, Essex, and Tomas Venclauskas, 41, of Arboretum View, in Lincoln, were convicted of assisting unlawful immigration after a trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

The jury, which returned its guilty verdict within four hours, heard how the pair picked up five men from Belgium in a powerboat and then headed for Shotley Marina, in Suffolk, where they were caught by Border Force officers.

Judge Martyn Levett - who was highly critical of the Border Force's operation - sentenced Laurinavicius to 11 years in prison and Venclauskas to nine.

A jury at Ipswich Crown Court reached guilty verdicts within four hours

Judge Levett told the court the men the defendants had tried to smuggle had a "serious list of convictions" for drugs and violence.

One had previously been arrested by the Metropolitan Police in relation to firearms offences in Albania, while another, who absconded after being put into the care of social services, had images of an automatic assault rifle.

The trial heard how Border Force officers were called to the marina in Shotley Gate - across the estuary from the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich - at 21:25 BST on 15 April.

Officer Madeline Klingsick said the two defendants were stood on the pontoon when her team arrived and a third man - who has never been identified - ran away.

The five Albanians were found in a cabin.

One of them was 17, she told the court, and "some if not all had been previously refused entry into the UK".

Laurinavicius told the court he had no knowledge of the Albanian men and that he and Venclauskas had not meant to travel to Belgium.

He told jurors he was "celebrating" the purchase of the boat in Southampton, while sailing to Lincolnshire, but he was drinking beer onboard and fell asleep.

Prosecutors say Shotley Marina was chosen as an easier location to offload the Albanian men

Venclauskas "lost" the coast, he explained, and they ended up mooring at a marina in Belgium.

Laurinavicius said he and his co-defendant later sailed back towards England "shock and stressed".

They were having engine trouble, he said, and chose Shotley as a place to land because it was closest.

Venclauskas, who first came to England about two decades ago and has known Laurinavicius since childhood, also said they had not planned to go to Belgium.

He told the jury he did not see anyone else get on the boat.

But on Thursday jurors returned unanimous guilty verdict for both defendants.

'Total bewilderment'

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Levett was critical of the Border Force, which took two hours to get to the scene after being called by the coastguard.

He said he was "staggered" and "shocked" that officers were not wearing cameras, suggesting if they had, the whereabouts of the third man who fled may have been easier to establish.

He also branded the record of the search of the boat "inadequate".

"I sit here in total bewilderment," Judge Levett told the court.

"There are 50 miles of Suffolk coastland and inland waters and I don't know how many people patrol this.

"Something needs to be done because were it not for the lockmaster none of this particular case would have come to light."

Judge Levett was so impressed by the actions of the lockmaster he awarded him £200 from the High Sherriff Fund for helping bring the matter to court.

"He was in my view instrumental and was therefore active in the apprehension of the offenders," he told the court.

Border Force has been contacted for comment.