The High Court has ordered the extradition of a 40-year-old haulier wanted in the UK to face charges in connection with the deaths of 39 Vietnamese people in England last October, after he asked to be surrendered to the UK authorities as soon as possible.
Ronan Hughes, from Leitrim, Silverstream, Tyholland in Co Monaghan, who was described in court as "the ringleader" of a group smuggling people into the UK, is facing 39 charges of manslaughter and a charge of assisting unlawful immigration.
The High Court today rejected his appeal against his extradition.
Mr Justice Paul Burns found that the alleged offences occurred in the UK and it has jurisdiction to prosecute them.
The bodies of the Vietnamese migrants were discovered in a refrigerated trailer parked on an industrial estate in Grays, Essex, on 23 October last year after it had been shipped to the UK from Belgium. The consignment had been falsely declared as biscuits.
The court heard the victims died from a lack of oxygen between 8pm and 10pm after they had entered UK territorial waters.
Detective Sergeant James Kirwan of the Garda's Extradition Section gave evidence that between 1 May 2018 and 24 October 2019 Ronan Hughes conspired with others to smuggle illegal migrants into the UK.
The victims, he said, were smuggled in commercial trailers owned and operated by Mr Hughes and that he organised and paid the drivers.
Detective Sergeant Kirwan said that when the driver, Maurice Robinson, discovered the bodies in the trailer he called Mr Hughes, as well as the emergency services.
The court also heard that Mr Hughes was the "ringleader" and "chief organiser" of the group bringing illegal migrants to the UK and did so for financial gain, while there was extensive phone and travel documentation.
Mr Justice Paul Burns said he found no error or ambiguity in the warrant and the UK has jurisdiction to prosecute the alleged offences that occurred in its territory.
The High Court had also heard that on a previous occasion, Mr Hughes was involved in smuggling 11 Vietnamese migrants into the UK and that he visited Mr Robinson to pay him £25,000.
The court heard that the migrants pay large sums to be smuggled into the UK and the drivers are also paid large sums.
Detective Sergeant Kirwan also said that Mr Hughes had made a substantial amount of money and was being investigated by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
He said that the gardaí believe Mr Hughes has access to a large number of vehicles, €210,000 had been frozen in 33 bank accounts, he has an interest in a villa in Florida, an address in Northern Ireland and last year bought a 2019 BMW X5 for €108,000.
His family home in Leitrim Tyholland in Monaghan is on a site built beside his father's house, furnished to a high standard and the house was built without a mortgage.
The court heard that Mr Hughes' hauliage company is registered in Bulgaria, he has many lorries and trailer units registered to him and not all vehicles connected to Mr Hughes have been located.
The detective sergeant also said on 24 October,2019, when the bodies of the migrants were discovered, all vehicles of value were removed from Mr Hughes' usual yard at Tyholland and CAB investigators are still trying to locate them.
The court was also told that Mr Hughes has previous road traffic and smuggling convictions here and in the UK and was sentenced to 30 months in prison for evading almost a €1 million worth of excise duty in the UK on five million smuggled cigarettes.
Mr Hughes, who faces a life sentence in prison if convicted on the charges, had previously been refused bail and today the High Court remanded him in custody.
Court dismisses appeal by Harrison over extradition
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against extradition by a lorry driver wanted in the UK for his alleged role in transporting the refrigerated trailer in which the migrants were found dead.
Eamon Harrison from Mayobridge in Co Down, is being sought by the British authorities to face 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
The 23-year-old is alleged to have delivered the trailer to a Belgian port before its onward journey to Britain, where it was collected from the Port of Purfleet, Essex, by Maurice Robinson from Craigavon, Co Armagh.
Robinson was arrested by Essex police at the scene and has since pleaded guilty in the UK to assisting illegal immigration.
The High Court had ruled that Mr Harrison could be extradited to the UK, a ruling confirmed today by the Court of Appeal.
The court dismissed Mr Harrison's appeal but directed he notify the State within five days if he wishes to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.
