First small boat pilots jailed for endangering others in Channel
Two small boat pilots who steered overcrowded craft have been jailed, becoming the first people sentenced for a new offence of endangering others during a Channel crossing.
Last updated 18 hours ago
Afghan national Mohammad Tajik, 32, was sentenced to two years in prison at Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday over a dangerous journey on January 17.
At the same time, Sudanese national Alnour Ali, 26, was sentenced to 27 months for a crossing on April 9.
Sentencing them, Judge Simon James said: “The inherent dangers of seeking to navigate one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world in a vessel which was never designed to undertake such a journey are obvious.
“However the risk of death and serious injury are significantly increased when boats have no navigational aides, are overcrowded and those on board are not adequately equipped with safety equipment.”
Endangering others during a journey by sea to the UK is a new offence that came into force in January as part of new border security legislation.