Essex lorry deaths: Gheorghe Nica admits people-smuggling role

The bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals were discovered in a refrigerated trailer on 23 October last year

A mechanic accused over the deaths of 39 migrants has told jurors how he was moving back to Romania to get treatment for his disabled daughter.

The Old Bailey heard that Gheorge Nica, 43, denies a role in the deaths of the Vietnamese nationals, aged 15 to 44, who were found in a lorry in Grays, Essex on 23 October last year.

However, he admitted a role in people-smuggling on two previous occasions.

Mr Nica, of Basildon, and lorry driver Eamonn Harrison deny manslaughter.

Mr Harrison, 23, of Mayobridge, County Down, 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.

The lorry deaths allegedly followed two successful people-smuggling runs on 11 October and 18 October, which Mr Nica, a British Romanian, admitted to arranging drivers for on their arrival in Britain.

Giving evidence, Mr Nica said he had worked as a chef before getting a job as a driver for Irish hauliers.

He said he met Irish haulier boss Ronan Hughes in 2009 and began working for him before working for himself up to 2018.

Mr Nica told jurors he had been aware of illegal activity to do with evading VAT on beer and wine.

In 2018, Mr Nica closed down his company and decided to relocate to Romania.

He said the move, after 26 years of living in Ireland and England, was a result of his four-year-old daughter suffering from cerebral palsy.

Mr Nica said treatment in England was "very expensive" prompting him to move to Romania.

Lorry driver Maurice Robinson, 26, who discovered the bodies, and Mr Hughes, 41, have admitted the manslaughter of the migrants. Two other men have previously admitted involvement in people smuggling.

The trial continues.