FIVE men are due to appear virtually at the Old Bailey today, Wednesday 8 April.

They have been charged in connection with our investigation into the deaths of 39 Vietnamese nationals in October 2019.

Due to appear are:

Maurice Robinson, 25, of Craigavon in Northern Ireland, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property at the same court on Monday 25 November.

His outstanding charges include 39 counts of manslaughter, transferring criminal property and conspiracy to commit a human trafficking offence.

Christopher Kennedy, 23, of Corkley Road in Darkley, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, who has been charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of people with a view to exploitation and conspiracy to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law.

Gheorghe Nica, 43, of Mimosa Close in Langdon Hills has been charged with 39 counts of manslaughter and one count of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga, 27, of Hobart Road in Tilbury and 37-year-old Valentin Calota of Cossington Road in Birmingham have both been charged with conspiring to do an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non-EU person between 1 May 2018 and 24 October 2019.