A FORMER Carlisle woman who was involved in a people smuggling plot has finally faced justice after being extradited from Spain.

Chantelle Genevieve Cook, 31, took on the role of “driver” in a scheme that involved eight Albanian men being smuggled into the UK in the back of two pickup trucks in August 2020, the city’s crown court heard.

She was at the wheel of one of the pick-up truck, in the rear of which four Albanian men were found hiding.

She was living Spain but was eventually extradited and put before the court. She admitted conspiring with others to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law. She is latest of several defendants to be prosecuted over the plot.

As he passed sentence, Judge Nicholas Barker told the defendant: “Your role was to be a driver, and you were also involved in the hire of vehicles.”

The judge said he was satisfied Cook acted “under direction”, though she had a clear understanding of what she involved herself in. “I am also satisfied that your purpose in doing this  was financial reward,” continued the judge.

But since committing the offence, the defendant had rebuilt her life in Spain and, from information contained in her pre-sentence report, it was clear also that she had put her past troubles behind her.

Read more: Carlisle man sentenced over plot to smuggle Albanians into the UK

The judge said: “You no longer have an unhealthy relationship with drugs and you have a long-term, stable relationship. You have a new child, who is ten months of age.” Cook had also shown remorse, and she recently suffered the loss of her father.

Following her extradition, she had briefly been kept in custody.

The judge imposed an 18-month jail term, suspended for two years, ruling that there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”

Given that the defendant, formerly of Springfield Road, Harraby will return to Spain, the judge declined to impose unpaid work or rehabilitation activity days.

The prosecution has yet to move on to a Proceeds of Crime hearing, designed to claw back any profit the defendant may have made from her offending.

A number of other people have already been dealt with by the courts for involvement in the conspiracy that led to Cook being charged.

Two men have been jailed for their part in the plot while another female defendant was also given a suspended jail term.