An Irish truck driver could be facing life in prison following his conviction for the manslaughter of 39 migrants. The Vietnamese migrants, aged between 15 and 44, were found dead in the back of a trailer in Essex on October 23rd last year. Following a 10-week trial, lorry driver Eamonn Harrison (24), from Co Down, was found guilty on Monday of 39 counts of manslaughter. They were also convicted of their part in the people-smuggling operation with lorry driver Christopher Kennedy (24), from Co Armagh, and Valentin Calota, (38), from Birmingham. Kennedy, Harrison and Calota, who picked up migrants at Orsett on October 18th, variously claimed they had thought they were transporting cigarettes, alcohol and stolen lorry parts.

Source: The Irish Times December 21, 2020 13:30 UTC