At least one of the Vietnamese migrants who died in a refrigerated lorry during the early hours of 23 October 2019 had claimed asylum in the Netherlands. The Flemish connection is due to the lorry having been loaded at the Belgian port of Zeebrugge.
Essex Police (notorious for involvement in the Lee Balkwell murder, Michael Barrymore cover up and Jeremy Bamber miscarriage of justice plus much else besides) arrested Mo Robinson, a Northern Irish driver, in Grays, near Thurrock. Not so much a case of “six degrees of separation” as two, my pal’s Mother knew the family (it is a small province), “dodgy” and “where does his money come from?” were the two salient points, but Northern Ireland, being Northern Ireland, one never asks too closely about anyone flashing cash.
The 39 dead Vietnamese citizens went looking for a better life in the west. Many Vietnamese make it as far as Poland, others end up in nail salons in the UK. It is a true crime case where exploitation meets oft times unrealistic dreams and false promises.
Tomorrow, if time permits, a final digression from the Daniel Morgan murder debacle to Kenya. Not Ali Kololo and Neil Hibbert (who had a small role in the Morgan case) but baby stealing.
Ciaran Goggins 