Two teenagers who were charged with an immigration offense after crossing the English Channel and being involved in an incident where five people, including a child, died, have had the charges against them dropped. The first boy, who was supposed to appear in court, had his charge discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as it was not deemed to be in the public interest to continue with the prosecution. Although court documents listed him as 16 years old, the CPS assessed him to be 17 years old. The second 16-year-old boy had his charge dropped at an earlier hearing.
This decision comes after months of delays due to age assessments, with the National Crime Agency (NCA) initially describing the youths as being in their 20s, a claim that was disputed in court. The NCA has been collaborating with Kent Police, immigration enforcement teams, and Border Force to support the French-led investigation into the incident that occurred off the northern French coast on April 23.
A dinghy carrying over 100 people departed from Wimereux at 6 am but encountered difficulties. Tragically, three men, a woman, and a seven-year-old girl lost their lives. Despite nearly 50 people being rescued, 58 individuals refused to leave the boat and continued their journey towards the UK, as reported by the French coastguard. Several other boats also attempted the crossing.
In addition to the dropped charges, there is still an ongoing case involving a third defendant who is charged with attempting to enter the country illegally, with his age remaining a point of dispute. The CPS has been contacted for further comment on the matter.