Man appears in court over Essex lorry deaths

Image source, PA Media

Image caption, The bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals were discovered in a refrigerated trailer on 23 October 2019

A man has appeared in court over the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants found in a lorry in October 2019.

Marius Draghici, 49, from Romania, is charged with 39 counts of manslaughter and one count of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

The Vietnamese migrants were discovered in a refrigerated lorry trailer in Purfleet, Essex, on 23 October 2019.

A plea hearing was set for 3 February next year with a provisional date for trial in November.

Mr Draghici will face trial together with Caolan Gormley, 25 of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, who is charged with a single count of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

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