TWO Carlisle men have gone on trial accused of being involved in a conspiracy to smuggle eight men from Albania into the UK.

At the city’s crown court, 57-year-old Neil Sowerby and 35-year-old Paul Watson deny the allegation, saying they knew nothing about a conspiracy and were “innocently caught up” in what happened.

Barrister Christopher Rose outlined the prosecution case.

He said the allegations came to light in 2020, beginning a long way from Carlisle on the French side of the Eurotunnel, in an area controlled by the UK Border Police.

“Two pick up trucks were stopped,” said Mr Rose.

One was a white Ford Ranger and the other a green Nissan Navara. “In the back of those pick-up trucks were not, as you might expect to see, lots of cigarettes, wines or beers,” said the barrister.

“In each, were four males from Albania – eight men in total, who were so close to entering the UK, because the pick-up trucks were booked to go on to the Eurotunnel train back to Folkstone.”

It was part of a people smuggling conspiracy which involved the two defendants, said Mr Rose. Some of the people involved in the conspiracy have already admitted their involvement, he said.

Both defendants said their involvement was nothing more than a plan to travel to Europe to buy goods – cigarettes in the case of Watson, and whisky in the case of Sowerby.

“The prosecution rejects that notion,” said Mr Rose.

The prosecutor said the kind of people who smuggle people into the UK would now allow 'innocent hangers-on' to be involved in such an operation.

He said: “There is no way, say the prosecution, that an organised crime group, bringing people into the UK illegally, would just allow two people to tag along.”

The jury heard about three other people who were involved in the people smuggling operation – a man from Carlisle and two women, described as 'foot soldiers' in the people smuggling operation.

The women drove the pick-up trucks and were then left to face the music after the vehicles were stopped and searched by the police.

The Carlisle man has admitted his involvement in the conspiracy, as did one of the two women. The second woman disappeared after she was released following her arrested at the Eurotunnel.

Mr Rose said the jury would hear phone evidence which, says the prosecution, links the defendants to the conspiracy.

The trial would hear about two trips across the Eurotunnel: the one on August 22, 2020, when the eight Albanian men were found; and an earlier trip between August 8 and August 10 that year.

Both defendants hired vehicles in Carlisle for the earlier trip, each travelling separately to Europe in pick-up trucks. On the second occasion, when the Albanians were caught, Watson stayed behind.

“But he is clearly involved because of phone activity with others on the trip,” said Mr Rose. On August 21, both defendants were making calls to hire car firms. The conspirators arranged the purchase of a pick-up truck cover for the back of the Ford Ranger.

Watson has given his address as Brisco, Carlisle, while Sowerby’s address had been given as Petteril Street, Carlisle. The trial is expected to last for six days.

The trial continues.