>A lawyer who has worked on several cases involving Channel boat crossings said that “nobody is going to be getting anywhere near life”, even under the new laws.
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>“The maximum sentence of life has been briefed in press releases to look like the government is being tough, in the knowledge that once these cases go before the court no one will get life,” said the solicitor, who did not want to be named.
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>He explained that the statutory sentencing guidelines applied to all crimes mean that judges must consider aggravating and mitigating factors.
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>CPS guidelines seen by The Independent say that terms can be increased if migrants steer boats across the Channel repeatedly, for financial gain or are involved in the organisation of crossings.
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>The risk to life inherent in using flimsy dinghies in the world’s busiest shipping lane is also considered an aggravating factor.
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>But the guidelines also state that sentences must be lowered if offenders have no previous convictions, present themselves to authorities, perform a “limited role under direction”, are coerced or exploited, have a limited understanding of the crime committed and make no financial gain, as is the case with many asylum seekers who steer the dinghies they travel on to the UK.
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>The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) said the laws were part of a “wholesale attack” on the right to asylum.
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>“We know from dozens of testimonies and several court cases that people are coerced into steering boats,” said advocacy director Zehrah Hasan.
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>“The home secretary is well aware of this fact but, instead of creating the safe routes that people need, she’s trying to criminalise and deport people who’ve sought sanctuary here.
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>“It’s just another instance of this government treating migrants and refugees sadistically, to destroy lives and court headlines.”
>
>([🪞](https://archive.ph/ndDTB))
Of course they’re not going to face life behind the bars. How many of them will even be prosecuted?
[deleted]
By pilot I guess they mean just the guy steering the boat? Because no way is any people smuggler going to be driving a boat across the channel with an almost 100% chance of being caught and no way of getting back.
To think, those illegals have all that money to give to the people smugglers to either hire or teach someone to pilot a boat across the Channel. Yet they haven’t the money to actually enter the UK via the proper, legal, due process way.
It sounds like it ought to be a named paradox – ‘The Illegal Migrant Paradox’ or something like that.
“Sure, we each paid our people smuggler a couple of grand to get us over into England, but we couldn’t afford a few hundred pounds for a passport and plane ticket each. *Shrugs shoulders*”
5 comments
>A lawyer who has worked on several cases involving Channel boat crossings said that “nobody is going to be getting anywhere near life”, even under the new laws.
>
>“The maximum sentence of life has been briefed in press releases to look like the government is being tough, in the knowledge that once these cases go before the court no one will get life,” said the solicitor, who did not want to be named.
>
>He explained that the statutory sentencing guidelines applied to all crimes mean that judges must consider aggravating and mitigating factors.
>
>CPS guidelines seen by The Independent say that terms can be increased if migrants steer boats across the Channel repeatedly, for financial gain or are involved in the organisation of crossings.
>
>The risk to life inherent in using flimsy dinghies in the world’s busiest shipping lane is also considered an aggravating factor.
>
>But the guidelines also state that sentences must be lowered if offenders have no previous convictions, present themselves to authorities, perform a “limited role under direction”, are coerced or exploited, have a limited understanding of the crime committed and make no financial gain, as is the case with many asylum seekers who steer the dinghies they travel on to the UK.
>
>The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) said the laws were part of a “wholesale attack” on the right to asylum.
>
>“We know from dozens of testimonies and several court cases that people are coerced into steering boats,” said advocacy director Zehrah Hasan.
>
>“The home secretary is well aware of this fact but, instead of creating the safe routes that people need, she’s trying to criminalise and deport people who’ve sought sanctuary here.
>
>“It’s just another instance of this government treating migrants and refugees sadistically, to destroy lives and court headlines.”
>
>([🪞](https://archive.ph/ndDTB))
Of course they’re not going to face life behind the bars. How many of them will even be prosecuted?
[deleted]
By pilot I guess they mean just the guy steering the boat? Because no way is any people smuggler going to be driving a boat across the channel with an almost 100% chance of being caught and no way of getting back.
To think, those illegals have all that money to give to the people smugglers to either hire or teach someone to pilot a boat across the Channel. Yet they haven’t the money to actually enter the UK via the proper, legal, due process way.
It sounds like it ought to be a named paradox – ‘The Illegal Migrant Paradox’ or something like that.
“Sure, we each paid our people smuggler a couple of grand to get us over into England, but we couldn’t afford a few hundred pounds for a passport and plane ticket each. *Shrugs shoulders*”