Monaghan man alleged to have recruited lorry driver who killed 39 migrants appears before High Court

A Monaghan man alleged to have recruited the lorry driver who killed 39 migrants by trafficking them from Europe to Essex has appeared before the High Court in Dublin this morning. 

Ronan Hughes (40), of Leitrim Silverstream, Tyholland, Co Monaghan is wanted by authorities in the United Kingdom to face 39 counts of manslaughter and one count of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

Mr Hughes and his younger brother Christopher (34) have been wanted in connection with the deaths since the beginning of the investigation, with Essex Police making an extraordinary live appeal last November for the siblings to hand themselves in. Their trucking firm is based in Tyholland, about 7km from the Armagh border.

Ronan Hughes was arrested yesterday evening in Co Monaghan following the endorsement of a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by the police in Essex and appeared before Mr Justice Paul Burns in the High Court this morning.

The eight women and 31 men had arrived in England last October on a ferry from Zeebrugge in Belgium. The youngest of the victims were two boys aged 15. 

On April 8th last, the lorry driver Maurice Robinson (25), from Craigavon, Co Armagh, pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter at the Old Bailey in London. 

Detective Sergeant Jim Kirwan of the Garda Extradition Unit told Ronan Kennedy SC, for the State, that he arrested Mr Hughes at 5.15pm yesterday evening at Leitrim Silverstream, Tyholland, Co Monaghan on foot of the warrant and cautioned him. 

Det Sgt Kirwan said that Mr Hughes agreed that his name was Ronan Hughes and his place of birth was Co Monaghan. The detective said he showed Mr Hughes a photograph which he agreed was him. 

Det Sgt Kirwan said he also showed Mr Hughes a copy of the original EAW and informed him of his rights. 

Outlining the offences facing Mr Hughes, Det Sgt Kirwan said the man faces 39 counts of manslaughter and one charge of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. 

The detective said Mr Hughes told him that he did not want to say anything about the summary of the offences contained within the warrant before he was conveyed to Monaghan Garda Station.

Det Sgt Kirwan said he was satisfied that the person named on the warrant was the person he arrested. He told Mr Kennedy that there was an objection to bail. 

Mr Justice Burns said he was satisfied the person before him was the person to whom the warrant related. The judge then informed Mr Hughes of his rights. 

He fixed May 1 as the date for the full hearing of the extradition case. 

Mr Justice Burns also fixed April 29 for the hearing of a bail application. 

Mr Hughes, who wore a face mask as he sat in the dock, was remanded in custody until that date.