Essex uncle and nephew sentenced for smuggling six migrants into the UK
The pair were caught smuggling six Vietnamese nationals from Calais to Dover in September 2019
Last updated 22nd Jan 2026
A 45-year-old man from Essex and his 30-year-old nephew have been sentenced for smuggling six Vietnamese nationals into the UK as part of an organised immigration crime gang.
Christopher Crittenden and Jake Crittenden admitted to smuggling the migrants from Calais to Dover in September 2019.
The pair were prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after Immigration Enforcement officers found five men and one woman hidden under fishing gear in a trailer they were towing.
Christopher Crittenden has been sentenced to three years in prison, while Jake Crittenden received a two-year suspended sentence at Canterbury Crown Court.
Jake was also ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work and wear an electronic tag for four months.
Although the two were caught on 29th September 2019, mobile phone chat data revealed Christopher Crittenden’s prior involvement in immigration crime.
Video evidence from February 2019 showed him driving a lorry and talking about picking up illegal immigrants.
In July 2019, WhatsApp messages between the older man and another individual discussed arrests linked to border control and the use of boats to smuggle migrants.
The prosecution argued that Christopher and Jake Crittenden were part of a larger criminal network.
However, there was no evidence linking them directly to two other members of the network, Lee Mandell and Gary Rothon.
Mandell, 43, and Rothon, 47, were sentenced in October 2023 to two years in prison, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to smuggling eight migrants into the UK in January 2020 while working as drivers for the network.
Patricia Strobino from the CPS said:
“Christopher Crittenden was a man motivated by money. He flouted the laws of the UK and had no concerns for the welfare of the six migrants.
“When asked about the risks involved, he laughed off the concerns.
“After getting caught he claimed he had gone fishing with his nephew, but the wealth of evidence found on his mobile, including location data, and messages left both men with no credible option other than to plead guilty.
“I want to thank Tessa Shroff from 9BR Chambers and the excellent partnership between the Crown Prosecution Service and Immigration Enforcement. This case shows what happens to criminals who think they can break the UK’s immigration laws without consequence.”