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Man charged with smuggling 14 Albanians in lorry

Reuters Four lorries in a row, a man in hi vis stands in the foreground, in the parking area of an industrial areaReuters
A man was arrested at Loch Ryan ferry terminal at Cairnryan

A 23-year-old man has appeared in court charged with smuggling 14 Albanian nationals into Scotland in a livestock lorry.

Patrick McKinney, from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, was arrested on 11 December at the Loch Ryan ferry terminal at Cairnryan. The ferry had set sail from Belfast earlier.

He has been charged with 14 counts under section 25 of the Immigration Act and one count of culpable and reckless conduct to danger of life.

He made no plea and was remanded in custody. An investigation is ongoing.

The Home Office said the 14 people were found by officers concealed in the wagon in "unsafe conditions".

Mr McKinney first appeared on petition at Stranraer Sheriff Court on 12 December.

Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigations lead Anthony Hilton said: "Our investigation remains ongoing, and we continue to carry out inquiries at pace.

"We're doing everything we can to stay ahead of the people smugglers who exploit our borders and put the lives of desperate people on the line for financial gain."