A pensioner has denied making an attempt to smuggle eight Albanians into the UK in a employed motorhome.
James Kimber, 69, was along with his spouse Margaret, 73, once they had been stopped by Border Drive officers on the Channel Tunnel management zone in Coquelles, France, on February 25, 2019.
Eight migrants had been found within the employed Fiat Ducato motorhome, with one hiding in the bathroom.
The couple, from Feltham, Middlesex, had been each arrested and charged.
James Kimber, 69, was along with his spouse Margaret, 73, (each pictured) once they had been stopped by Border Drive officers on the Channel Tunnel management zone in Coquelles, France, on February 25, 2019
Throughout a pre-trial assessment listening to at Maidstone Crown Court docket on Friday, Mr Kimber pleaded not responsible to 1 offence of aiding illegal immigration.
However Decide Catherine Moore agreed that Ms Kimber, who sat within the dock together with her husband, shouldn’t be arraigned on the identical offence on account of issues over her well being.
The delay means their trial, which was to start out in a two-week listing commencing January 31, is no longer anticipated to get underway earlier than March.
Decide Moore ordered an extra listening to to replace the court docket on Ms Kimber’s situation and a medical evaluation, to be held on February 11.
Mr Kimber additionally has various well being points, the court docket was informed.
The couple, who had been accompanied to the court docket listening to by their daughter, had been launched on unconditional bail.
Throughout a pre-trial assessment listening to at Maidstone Crown Court docket on Friday, Mr Kimber pleaded not responsible to 1 offence of aiding illegal immigration. However Decide Catherine Moore agreed that Ms Kimber, who sat within the dock together with her husband, shouldn’t be arraigned on the identical offence on account of issues over her well being
In September 2020, a magistrates’ court docket listening to was informed Mr Kimber was driving the motorhome, along with his spouse sitting within the entrance seat, once they had been stopped.
A car inspection led to the invention of 1 Albanian male in the bathroom and 7 extra males hiding behind a curtained bunk above the driving force and entrance passenger seats.
On the similar listening to, the court docket was informed that the motorhome, which had a central locking system, had been employed three days earlier.
No particulars of the place the couple had been travelling earlier than heading again to the UK have been revealed.