Northampton lorry firm says fine for migrant crossing unfair

EM Rogers director Sarah Boyson said her company had been punished, despite going to great lengths to stop migrants entering lorries

A haulage firm which was fined when three migrants were found in one of its lorries says it is "crazy" that companies are being punished.

EM Rogers, based in Northampton, was fined more than £3,000 when three people were found at Calais in October.

Director Sarah Boyson said its drivers went "above and beyond" to secure their lorries and check for stowaways.

The Home Office said fines were part of a "package of polices" to stop migrants crossing the English Channel.

Ms Boyson said the company made about 70 crossings to France every week and its staff were trained on measures to prevent people entering their lorries.

She said the three migrants were discovered at the Port of Calais by sniffer dogs, despite a full check of the lorry being made by the driver.

The company submitted evidence to prove all the security measures had been taken, and the company's fine was reduced to £2,400.

An extra £1,200 fine for the driver was dropped.

"Companies like us are doing their absolute upmost to prevent people entering their vehicles," Ms Boyson said.

"The training that goes into it, the physical means to stop entry of vehicles in the form of padlocks, cords and seals - how can that be deemed as negligence?

"Border Force, the Home Office - it's their full time job to stop migrants coming in yet us, as a transport company and individual drivers, are expected to stop the migrants when all these major authorities and government departments can't stop them - that's crazy."

EM Rogers driver Steve Carr said in a previous job he had discovered people in his lorry

Ms Boyson said it was becoming an increasingly difficult job for the drivers, some of whom have been attacked while waiting to cross the channel.

"We feel very strongly that we are doing as much as we can, and we are the victims in this," she said.

Steve Carr is a driver with EM Rogers but not the employee who was fined.

He said he rests four of five hours away from Calais on his way back to the UK, to avoid staying near the port.

"Even though you're supposed to be sleeping in your truck, you can't rest properly because you're still worried that people will be trying to get into the back of the truck," he said.

Mr Carr described his role as being a "part-time security guard" and said tamper proof cords were wrapped around his vehicle.

But he said that if people did manage to get in to the lorries it could be difficult to detect them, despite thorough checks.

"If they do get in through the roof they'll bury themselves in the load. If they're halfway in the load, you'll never see them," he said.

A spokesperson for the Home Office said a "major package of policies" was introduced in February to stop the use of vehicles to smuggle people into the UK.

"These measures, which include increased fines of up to £10,000 for each illegal entry, are a vital tool in securing our border, deterring illegal migration and disrupting the business model of people smugglers," they said.