Retired Couple Faces £6,000 Fine After Migrant Discovered in Trailer

A retired ambulance driver and his spouse have incurred a £6,000 penalty following the discovery of a migrant stowaway by UK Border Agency personnel in a trailer attached to their mobile home. Peter Hughes, 75, and Anne Lawton, 78, residents of Droylsden, Greater Manchester, stated they were unaware that a young Sudanese man had concealed himself inside their trailer. Mr. Hughes remarked: “This has destroyed us.” The Home Office indicated that its regulations are designed to address negligence rather than criminal intent. The couple, who have frequently traveled to Europe for many years, had made a stop at a supermarket shortly before proceeding to the ferry in Calais on 7 May. UK Border Force agents operating in France inspected the trailer connected to their motorhome and located a stowaway within the 4ft (1.2m) by 3ft (1m) by 1.5ft (45cm) unit. Mr. Hughes detached the elastic cables from the trailer and was astonished to find the young man curled up inside the trailer, which was packed with camping equipment. He recounted: “You could have knocked me down with a feather when I opened the cover and there was a pair of feet.” He added: “The guy was literally bent up like a pretzel round the camping chairs.” The couple believes the only opportunity for the man to have entered was during their visit to the supermarket before they checked in at the port. They were required to surrender their passports and driving licence and wait for several hours until French police arrived to remove the man, causing them to miss their scheduled ferry. The couple received no communication for several months until, on a Saturday, a Border Force letter arrived, informing them they had failed to perform standard checks on the trailer as soon as practically possible before reaching immigration control, and were therefore liable for a £6,000 fine. Mr. Hughes commented: “We’ve been sweating since May and I’ve not slept since we got the letter.” His wife, Anne Lawton, further stated: “It’s disgusting, do they think as old people we would do this deliberately.” She also observed: “The only good thing to come out of this is that other tourists will know to check their trailers.” A statement from the Home Office read: “The Clandestine Entrant Civil Penalty Scheme is designed to secure our border, target negligence, and ensure drivers take every reasonable step to deter irregular migration. The option to appeal and trigger a review is made clear in supporting documents, as we aim to achieve a fair resolution for both parties.” The couple has contacted their MP, Angela Rayner, whose team is currently investigating the matter. They have until Christmas Eve to settle the fine unless their appeal proves successful. For more from BBC Radio Manchester, listen on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be sent to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk and via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.