Essex lorry deaths were linked to haulier, Old Bailey hears

The bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals were discovered in a refrigerated trailer on 23 October 2019

A haulier accused of having "close dealings" with the traffickers responsible for the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants has gone on trial.

The bodies were found in a lorry trailer near Purfleet, Essex, in 2019.

Caolan Gormley, 26, from Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, was allegedly part of an operation that conspired to bring migrants into the UK.

A jury at the Old Bailey was told he was involved in a series of smuggling operations in October that year.

On two occasions, migrants were "successfully" unloaded at a rural location in Essex, the court heard.

A third people-smuggling trip on the night of 22 October that year suffered a "tragic, fatal" ending, the court heard.

Opening the case, prosecutor Ben Holt said: "Mr Gormley had close dealings with those who were involved in that journey."

Many of the victims hoped to find better paid work in the UK

A number of the people smugglers have already been convicted for their offending, the jury was told.

The court heard Ronan Hughes, an Irish haulier, and Romanian Gheorghe Nica, were in charge of this network.

Prosecutors say Mr Gormley was the director of CDG Transport Ltd, a haulage company that operated from Northern Ireland.

He and others "had been busily bringing illegal immigrants into the country... using trailers attached to lorries on a fairly regular basis", Mr Holt said.

On the 11 and 18 October, a trailer containing migrants was ferried from Zeebrugge in Belgium, to Purfleet, and was collected by driver Christopher Kennedy, the court heard.

Jurors were told Mr Gormley was the driver's boss.

Denial

In the early hours of 23 October, the trailer was collected by a different driver, Maurice Robinson, who found the bodies inside.

Mr Holt said Mr Robinson's first reaction was to contact Hughes - one of Mr Gormley's associates.

"Half-an-hour later Hughes tried to contact Gormley; no doubt to relay the news of what had taken place," the prosecutor said.

Mr Holt said the defendant accepted he was in regular contact with Ronan Hughes regarding the transport work, but that he had no idea the others were involved in people smuggling.

Mr Gormley denies one charge of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, continues.