Egyptian man guilty of attempting to arrive in the UK illegally having crossed the Channel in a small boat

An Egyptian man has pleaded guilty today (23 January 2023) at Basingstoke Magistrates Court of attempting to arrive in the UK having crossed the Channel in a small boat.

Gamal Ali, aged 36, was travelling in a rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) with 45 other migrants on 28 November 2022. The boat was intercepted by UK Border Force in UK territorial waters, having travelled from the direction of France.

Evidence from the investigation proved that Gamal Ali was piloting the boat for at least two minutes whilst his hand was on the tiller prior to interception, indicating that he was more than just a passenger in the RHIB.

He was sentenced to 29 weeks’ imprisonment.

Natalie Cheesman, CPS Wessex Senior Crown Prosecutor, said: “We recognise there are significant risks to migrants who make the desperate decision to cross bodies of water in small and unsuitable boats, to arrive in the UK.

“Anyone arriving or attempting to arrive in the UK unlawfully will be prosecuted and brought to justice.”