Essex lorry deaths: Man in court on human trafficking charges
- Published
The bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals were discovered in a refrigerated trailer
A man has appeared in court charged with human trafficking offences after the deaths of 39 people whose bodies were found in a lorry in Essex.
Christopher Kennedy, of Darkley, County Armagh, is charged with plotting with others to traffic illegal immigrants and assist unlawful immigration.
At Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, he was remanded in custody until a hearing at the Old Bailey on 13 December.
The offences allegedly took place between 1 May 2018 and 24 October 2019.
Mr Kennedy, a 23-year-old lorry driver, was arrested in the early hours of Friday on the M40 in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.
He spoke only to confirm his age and address and to state his nationality as British.
The charges relate to the deaths of eight women and 31 males, all from Vietnam, who were discovered in the back of a refrigerated lorry in Grays on 23 October.
The youngest victims were two boys aged 15.