Man facing jail after three Vietnamese nationals found in car roof box
"An immediate term of custody is almost inevitable," the judge told Robert Rooney.
Monday 10 February 2020 23:09, UK
A man is facing prison after three Vietnamese nationals were found squeezed into the roof box of a Ford Focus at the UK-France border last year.
Robert Rooney was stopped when he drove into the control zone at Coquelle in France on 5 October 2019, close to the entrance of the Eurotunnel.
None of the three Vietnamese nationals had leave to remain in the UK.
Speaking in court on Monday, a judge told Rooney that it was "almost inevitable" that he would be facing prison, because of the need to send a message to would-be offenders.
Rooney was accused of "knowing or having reasonable cause for believing" that they were not EU citizens, and that bringing them into the UK was illegal.
The 34-year-old pleaded guilty to one charge of facilitating the commission of a breach of UK immigration law at a previous hearing.
Rooney appeared at Canterbury Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, wearing a grey Ralph Lauren jumper.
The court was told about the breakdown of his marriage and the recent loss of his job - and how those events had caused issues with his legal aid, meaning the sentencing was unable to proceed.
Judge Catherine Brown told him: "An immediate term of custody is almost inevitable.
"You should be under no illusions that an offence of this nature is a serious one. A deterrent sentence is necessary."
The defendant was remanded in custody, and is expected to appear in the same court again for sentencing during the week beginning 24 February.