Two deny smuggling five men on boat from Belgium

The marina is on the tip of the Shotley Peninsula, between the Orwell and Stour river estuaries and the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe

Two men have denied smuggling five Albanian men from Belgium to a marina in Suffolk.

The prosecution at Ipswich Crown Court alleged the defendants had sailed a powerboat from Southampton to Belgium and picked up the five men before returning to England via Shotley Marina.

Karolis Laurinavicius, 40, of Lea Road in Waltham Abbey, Essex, and Tomas Venclauskas, 41, of Arboretum View, Lincoln, deny a charge of assisting unlawful immigration.

Giving evidence, Mr Laurinavicius said he had no knowledge of the Albanian men, who were found in a cabin, and that he and Mr Venclauskas had not meant to travel to Belgium.

During the trial the court heard from Border Force officer Madeline Klingsick.

She said her team 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 after a "phone call from the harbour master" about a boat.

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

Another five men were found in a cabin, she said.

The officer said that of the five Albanians, one was 17 years old and that "some if not all had been previously [been] refused entry in to UK".

'Lost the coast'

Mr Laurinavicius told jurors he purchased the boat in Southampton and was sailing it to Lincolnshire along the coast.

He said he was "celebrating" the purchase and drinking beer onboard.

While Mr Venclauskas steered the vessel, he said he fell asleep and then when he was woken up "we had lost the coast".

The court heard they arrived in France and then Belgium before mooring up at a marina.

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

He said he did not know there were people below deck in the cabin.

Prosecutor John Livingston alleged that Shotley Marina was chosen as it would be easier to offload people than at a larger port.

But Mr Laurinavicius claimed they were experiencing engine trouble off the coast and chose Shotley because it was closest.

He said at no point had he seen the five Albanians.

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

Also giving evidence on the witness stand, Mr Venclauskas said he first came to England 19 or 20 years ago and knew Mr Laurinavicius since childhood.

He said they had not planned to go to Belgium and that Mr Laurinavicius had drunk too much and left him to navigate.

The "coast disappeared" and a few hours later he woke up his co-defendant, saying "I do not know where we are", Mr Venclauskas said.

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

The trial continues.