"Messages on phones carried by people aboard the vessel led to the arrest of two men who were involved in smuggling via small boats, lorries, and the yacht. Mohammed Ali Nareman, 37, from Barnet in London, faced a trial of facts at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday, while Ali Omar Karim, 47, from Portsmouth pleaded guilty to people smuggling offences in August 2024."
"Both are due to be sentenced on 8 January, but despite a jury finding Nareman had committed the offences, he will avoid jail as the result of a trial of facts does not constitute a criminal conviction. A judge had ruled the Iraqi national was unfit to stand trial because he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks and depression, so could not be cross-examined or instruct defence lawyers."
"Video clips on their phones showed them on the vessel and included the words "we are all Hama Kalari's passengers, thank the great God now we are in the water". Nareman's own phone showed he had traveled to Rye on the same day, with Karim's phone showing each migrant had been charged 1,000 to enter the EU, then a larger amount to cross into the UK."
A yacht carrying 14 migrants ran aground at Rye in February 2022. Phones carried by those onboard contained videos and messages identifying the vessel, passengers and costs charged for EU entry and UK crossings. Investigators used phone data to link two men, Mohammed Ali Nareman and Ali Omar Karim, to smuggling via small boats, lorries and the yacht. Karim pleaded guilty in August 2024; Nareman underwent a trial of facts after a judge ruled him unfit to stand trial because of PTSD, panic attacks and depression. A jury found Nareman had committed the offences, and both are due to be sentenced on 8 January.
Read at www.bbc.com
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