Essex lorry deaths: Covid test result wait stalls trial

The Old Bailey has heard evidence about how 39 people were found dead in a lorry container in Essex

The trial of an alleged people smuggling ring linked to the deaths of 39 migrants has stalled as a witness waits for a Covid test result.

The Vietnamese victims were found dead in a lorry container in Grays, Essex, on 23 October last year.

The manslaughter and people-smuggling trial at the Old Bailey was paused when the first witness fell ill while giving evidence on Monday.

The judge said the trial could not go ahead until a test result was received.

Mr Justice Sweeney apologised to jurors on Wednesday, saying: "We are all going to have to wait until we receive the relevant text message. At the moment he has not received it."

Later, he said the man had taken a second test privately.

"The result is 'guaranteed' by 9am [on Thursday]," Mr Justice Sweeney said.

"Rather than asking you to wait around this afternoon on the off-chance the text message arrives, it seems to me more sensible to ask you to be back to start at 10.30am when I'm hoping the guarantee comes to fruition."

Lorry driver Eamonn Harrison, 23, of Mayobridge, County Down, and Gheorghe Nica, 43, of Basildon, Essex, deny manslaughter.

Mr Harrison, together with another lorry driver, Christopher Kennedy, 24, of County Armagh, and Valentin Calota, 37, of Birmingham, deny being part of a people-smuggling conspiracy.

Last week Nica admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration between 1 May 2018 and 24 October 2019.

Jurors have heard how the lorry container became a "tomb" as 39 men, women and children suffocated inside.

The trial is expected to last for up to six weeks.