Co. Armagh man jailed over 39 deaths in people-smuggling operation has sentence extended
Ronan Hughes, 45, was sentenced to 20 years in February 2021 after pleading guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter and one count of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration.
However, he has now been handed an additional 16 months in prison after failing to fully pay a Confiscation Order.
"Ronan Hughes led an unscrupulous network of organised criminals that sought to profit from smuggling desperate people," said Heather Chalk of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
"It is devastating that 39 vulnerable people lost their lives because of their greed and recklessness."
Hughes was taken back to court last year and ordered to pay back a Confiscation Order totalling £182,078.90, to be paid in compensation to the victims' families.
However, having only paid back a little more than £58,000, the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division asked the court to impose an additional sentence.
On Tuesday, with Hughes still owning £123,698 (plus interest) a judge at Folkestone Magistrates' Court ordered him to serve an additional year and four months.
"Hughes failed to pay back his Confiscation Order in full and, as a result, he will be serving additional time in jail," said Ms Chalk. Conspiracy
On October 23, 2019, 39 Vietnamese nationals aged between 15 and 44 were found unresponsive in the back of a lorry in Essex.
They had died of oxygen starvation after being sealed in the air-tight container for nearly 12 hours.
The lorry had travelled from Zeebrugge in Belgium to the Port of Purfleet in Essex.
The CPS says Hughes was the ringleader of the operation, however, several other people have been convicted and sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.
They include Eamonn Harrison, 28, from Co. Down, who collected the victims in northern France before dropping the container at Zeebrugge.
He was found guilty of people-smuggling and 39 counts of manslaughter in December 2020 and sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Maurice Robinson, 30, from Co. Armagh picked up the trailer in Purfleet and discovered the bodies.
He was sentenced to 13 years and four months in January 2021 after pleading guilty to manslaughter and people smuggling.
At the same time, 28-year-old Christopher Kennedy from Co. Armagh was jailed for seven years for his part in the wider smuggling operation, having been found guilty of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration.
Caolan Gormley, 28, from Co. Armagh was sentenced in November 2023 to seven years after he was found guilty of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
While not directly involved in the events of that night, an investigation by Essex Constabulary revealed he was a member of the wider conspiracy to assist in people smuggling.
See More: Essex Lorry Deaths, People Smuggling, Ronan Hughes
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Man (76) charged after children fell ill at Leicestershire summer camp
A 76-year-old man has been charged after a number of children became unwell at a summer camp in Leicestershire, England . Jon Ruben, of Ruddington, Nottingham, has been charged with three counts of wilful ill treatment of a child. The charges relate to three children at the rural camp in the village of Stathern, Leicestershire police said on Friday. Police launched an investigation after children attending the camp at Stathern Lodge, near Melton, became unwell. Emergency services attended the scene and eight children, all boys aged between eight and 11, along with one adult, were taken to hospital as a precaution. All of the patients have since been discharged. READ MORE Mr Ruben has been remanded into custody and will appear at Leicester magistrates court on Saturday. Janine McKinney, chief crown prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said: 'The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the prosecution of a 76-year-old man with child cruelty offences following a police investigation into a summer camp held at Stathern Lodge, Leicestershire. 'This decision has been made after reviewing a file of evidence from Leicestershire police. 'Jonathon Ruben will be charged with three offences of wilful ill treatment of a child relating to three boys. He will appear at Leicester magistrates court on Saturday, August 2nd. 'This has been an extremely upsetting and shocking moment for the community, and especially for the children and parents most directly affected. 'We would like to remind all concerned that there are now active criminal proceedings against Mr Ruben and he has the right to a fair trial. There must be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online that may in any way prejudice these proceedings.' Leicestershire police had originally said the incident happened on Monday, before amending it to Sunday, and it remains unclear whether officers only responded on Monday and whether that is why the force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The force said in a statement: 'The owners and operators of Stathern Lodge are independent from those people who use or hire the lodge and are not connected to the incident.' The investigation is being led by the East Midlands special operations unit's major incident team. Detective inspector Neil Holden, the senior investigating officer, said: 'We understand the concern this incident will have caused to parents, guardians and the surrounding community.' He added: 'This is a complex and sensitive investigation and we will continue to provide updates to both parents and guardians and the public as and when we can.' The IOPC said: 'Our assessment team has examined all available evidence and concluded the matter should be independently investigated by the IOPC. 'The investigation will look at whether there were any breaches of professional behaviour – namely a failure to carry out duties and responsibilities – that resulted in a delay in Leicestershire police's response to what was later declared a critical incident.' - Guardian
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Pensioner, 76, in court today charged with child cruelty offences after eight kids & adult ‘poisoned' at summer camp
A PENSIONER charged with "child cruelty offences" at a summer camp is set to appear in court today. Eight children and one adult 8 Jonathon Ruben, 76, was charged with child cruelty offences 8 The eight children were all boys aged between eight and 11 Credit: PA 8 The pensioner will appear in court today Credit: SWNS Police arrested and charged Jonathon Ruben, 76, following the horror on Sunday. He was remanded into custody and will appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court today. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed Jonathon Ruben, from Nottingham, was charged with three counts of wilful ill treatment relating to three boys at the summer camp between July 25 and July 29. Ill treatment of a child can carry a maximum sentence of 14 years' imprisonment under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. Read More The pensioner was originally arrested on Monday evening at a pub on suspicion of administering poison or a noxious thing with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy. Janine McKinney, chief crown prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the prosecution of a 76-year-old man with child cruelty offences following a police investigation into a summer camp held at Stathern Lodge, Leicestershire. "This decision has been made after reviewing a file of evidence from Leicestershire Police. "Jonathon Ruben will be charged with three offences of wilful ill treatment of a child relating to three boys. Most read in The Sun "This has been an extremely upsetting and shocking moment for the community, and especially for the children and parents most directly affected." It comes after total of eight children - who were all boys aged between eight and 11 - were taken to hospital as a precaution and later discharged. 76-year-old charged with 'child cruelty offences' after eight kids & adult fell sick at summer camp One adult was also taken to hospital as a precaution and was also discharged. "Distressed" parents were reportedly unable to see their kids "for hours" as they were taken to a makeshift triage centre nearby. One witness reported seeing parents "screaming" at officers as they demanded to see their kids. A resident who lives near the hall said: 'It was pretty chaotic, with emergency workers running around everywhere. 8 Ill treatment of a child can carry a maximum sentence of 14 years' imprisonment Credit: SWNS 8 Police arrested the pensioner on Monday Credit: SWNS 8 The lodge is owned by Christian charity the Braithwaite Gospel Trust, which provides holiday clubs Credit: SWNS "I saw a few children in tears as they walked into the hall. It's like every parent's worst nightmare." Leicestershire Police has now referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), who have launched a probe. It comes as officers admitted it received a report on Sunday of children feeling unwell but did not visit the camp until Monday. The lodge is owned by Christian charity the Braithwaite Gospel Trust, which provides holiday clubs. An IOPC spokesperson said: "We received a conduct referral on Tuesday (July 29) from Leicestershire Police relating to their handling of concerns passed to them over the wellbeing of a group of children. "Our assessment team has examined all available evidence and concluded the matter should be independently investigated by the IOPC. "The investigation will look at whether there were any breaches of professional behaviour - namely a failure to carry out duties and responsibilities - that resulted in a delay in Leicestershire Police's response to what was later declared a critical incident." 8 Jonathon Ruben was charged with three counts of wilful ill treatment relating to three boys Credit: SWNS 8 Leicestershire Police has now referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) Credit: SWNS
Sunday World
6 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man, 76, to appear in court over summer camp ‘poisoning'
Leicestershire Police said it received a report on Sunday that children at a summer camp at Stathern Lodge in Canal Lane, Stathern, had become unwell. A general view of the scene in Stathern, Leicestershire, after a 76-year-old man was arrested (Jacob King/PA) A 76-year-old man will appear in court charged with child cruelty offences after children became unwell at a summer camp in Leicestershire. Leicestershire Police said it received a report on Sunday that children at a summer camp at Stathern Lodge in Canal Lane, Stathern, had become unwell. Eight children, all boys aged between eight and 11, and an adult, who were taken to hospital as a precaution, have all since been discharged. Jonathon Ruben, of Landmere Lane, Ruddington, Nottingham, has been charged with three counts of wilful ill treatment relating to three boys at the summer camp between July 25 and July 29, the Crown Prosecution Service said on Friday. He was remanded into custody and will appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Saturday. Ruben, 76, was originally arrested on Monday evening at a pub on suspicion of administering poison or a noxious thing with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy. Sentencing Council guidelines state that ill treatment of a child can result in a maximum sentence of 14 years' imprisonment under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. Leicestershire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of the incident. The force originally said the incident happened on Monday, before amending it to Sunday, and it is still unclear whether officers only responded on Monday, and whether that is why the force has referred itself to the IOPC. Janine McKinney, chief crown prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said: 'The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the prosecution of a 76-year-old man with child cruelty offences following a police investigation into a summer camp held at Stathern Lodge, Leicestershire. 'This decision has been made after reviewing a file of evidence from Leicestershire Police. 'Jonathon Ruben will be charged with three offences of wilful ill treatment of a child relating to three boys. 'This has been an extremely upsetting and shocking moment for the community, and especially for the children and parents most directly affected. 'We would like to remind all concerned that there are now active criminal proceedings against Mr Ruben, and he has the right to a fair trial. 'There must be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online that may in any way prejudice these proceedings.' Leicestershire Police said the 'owners and operators of Stathern Lodge are independent from those people who use or hire the lodge and are not connected to the incident'. The IOPC said: 'Our assessment team has examined all available evidence and concluded the matter should be independently investigated by the IOPC. 'The investigation will look at whether there were any breaches of professional behaviour – namely a failure to carry out duties and responsibilities – that resulted in a delay in Leicestershire Police's response to what was later declared a critical incident.'
