Pair jailed for people smuggling

Two people from Kent caught trying to take 12 illegal immigrants on to a ferry in a caravan have been jailed in France.

Tammy Stickells, 24, and Terry Stephens, 23, from Kent, arrived at the ferry departure dock in Calais, northern France, on 1 August.

They were towing a caravan with their Rover car and intended to embark on a ferry to return to the UK, a criminal court in Boulogne was told.

But officials who searched their caravan found 11 adults and a child, all of whom were of Indian nationality.

The defendants told the court they had arrived in France on 31 July and that the immigrants must have gained access to the caravan without anyone knowing.

Stickells and Stephens were each given a two-year jail term, of which 15 months was suspended.

They were also banned from visiting the Pas-de-Calais region for three years.