Second man from Northern Ireland is held over deaths of 39 migrants in lorry

A second man from Northern Ireland has been arrested by police investigating the deaths of 39 migrants found inside a refrigerated lorry.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Oct 2019, 10:29 BST
UK Border Agency staff at the ferry port in Calais, France, as the deaths of 39 people found in a lorry container in the UK have sparked concerns about the checks on vehicles entering the country. Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA WireUK Border Agency staff at the ferry port in Calais, France, as the deaths of 39 people found in a lorry container in the UK have sparked concerns about the checks on vehicles entering the country. Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
UK Border Agency staff at the ferry port in Calais, France, as the deaths of 39 people found in a lorry container in the UK have sparked concerns about the checks on vehicles entering the country. Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Detectives in Essex said the 48-year-old man was detained at Stansted Airport and is being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic people and on suspicion of manslaughter.

A couple named locally as haulage boss Thomas Maher and his wife Joanna, both 38, were also arrested yesterday on suspicion of 39 counts of manslaughter and people trafficking.

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The major police inquiry began in the early hours of Wednesday when the ambulance service was tasked to the Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays.

Mo Robinson from Northern Ireland, who is still being questionedMo Robinson from Northern Ireland, who is still being questioned
Mo Robinson from Northern Ireland, who is still being questioned

The driver of the Scania truck, named locally as 25-year-old Mo Robinson (inset) from Laurelvale in Co Armagh, also remains in custody after he was held on suspicion of murder immediately following the gruesome discovery.

Essex Police initially believed all of the dead were Chinese nationals, but the force said at a press conference yesterday that “this is now a developing picture”.

Post-mortem examinations are due to begin as the bodies have been moved by private ambulance with a police escort from the port of Tilbury to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex Police deputy chief constable Pippa Mills said.

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Laurelvale residents have spoken highly of Mo Robinson, and of the Robinson family, with one local councillor saying the village is in “complete shock” that he has been caught up in the tragedy.

“In the local area the feeling is one of complete shock and hope this is not a true story in terms of his involvement,” independent councillor Paul Berry said.

Meanwhile, a young Vietnamese woman feared to be among the eight women and 31 men who perished sent an emotional text to her parents saying she was suffocating.

The family of Pham Tra My, 26, told the BBC they have not been able to contact her since she sent text messages on Tuesday night – around two hours before the refrigerated trailer arrived in the port of Purfleet from Zeebrugge in Belgium.

“I am really, really sorry, Mum and Dad, my trip to a foreign land has failed,” the message said.

“I am dying, I can’t breathe. I love you very much Mum and Dad.

“I am sorry, Mother.”