Pensioners from Surrey charged with attempting to smuggle Albanians into Kent in a campervan
Published: 15:58, 08 October 2020
Updated: 16:30, 08 October 2020
A couple with a combined age of 139 are accused of smuggling eight Albanians into Kent in the back of their motorhome.
James and Margaret Kimber were stopped by officials at Coquelles in November last year travelling in a Fiat Ducato campervan.
The couple - aged 68 and 71, respectively - are charged with doing an act "to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law", known as people smuggling.
They were due to arrive back in England via Folkestone.
The Kimbers, of Lemon Grove, Feltham, Surrey were due to appear by video link from their solicitor's offices to enter pleas - but a glitch meant they could see the judge in Maidstone Crown Court, but he could not see them.
Formal pleas will be taken before the proposed trial which is now due to start in January 2022.
Each was granted bail.
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Paul Hooper