Dymchurch 'people smuggler asleep as migrants rescued'

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Inflatable boat
Image caption,

Albanian migrants were rescued from a small boat off Dymchurch, the court heard

A man accused of helping smuggle 18 Albanians into England told a court he knew nothing about any migrants and was asleep when they were rescued at sea.

The group were rescued off the Kent coast after their inflatable craft began taking on water in May 2016.

Saba Dulaj, one of eight on trial, told the Old Bailey a flurry of activity on his phone was nothing to do with him.

Mr Dulaj, who denies conspiracy to breach immigration law, said: "I had no reason to leave my bed."

The court heard mobile phone records revealed a number of calls from Mr Dulaj's device to two of the other alleged conspirators on the night of 28 and 29 May, when the boat carrying 18 Albanians ran out of fuel and began taking on water near Dymchurch.

Henrietta Paget, prosecuting, asked him: "Who do you say is using your phone to call [alleged co-conspirators] Len and George Powell?"

He replied: "I can guarantee you that at this time I was sleeping."

Ms Paget said the phone records for that night also showed Mr Dulaj's phone was in the area of the Lion pub, in Farningham, Kent, which police believe was a regular meeting place of members of the gang.

She suggested Mr Dulaj drove there from London after realising something had gone wrong with the mission.

Mr Dulaj said his phone was regularly borrowed by other people and added: "I can guarantee you that at this time I was sleeping."

Eight men from London and Kent deny conspiracy to breach immigration law in what the prosecution say was a "lucrative scam" to smuggle migrants from France to Kent illegally.

The defendants:

  • Wayne Craig Bath, 38, of Sea Approach, Warden, Sheerness

  • Sabah Dulaj, 23, of no fixed address

  • Albert Letchford, 42, of Rochester Road, Gravesend

  • Leonard Powell, 66, of London Road, Dartford

  • Alan Viles, 27, of Ash Tree Road, Folkestone

  • Francis Wade, 59, of Gill Avenue, Wainscott

  • Alfie Powell, 39, of no fixed address

  • Arthur Nutaj, 39, Wheatley Gardens, Enfield

The trial continues.

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