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Essex lorry deaths

SOLVED2019Waterglade Industrial Park, Eastern Avenue, Grays, Essex, UK3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On 23 October 2019, shortly after 01:40 BST, the East of England Ambulance Service responded to a 999 call from lorry driver Maurice Robinson, who had found 39 bodies inside a refrigerated articulated trailer parked on Eastern Avenue at the Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, Essex. All 39 victims — 31 men and eight women, including 10 teenagers, the youngest two aged 15 — were pronounced dead before ambulance staff arrived. Post-mortems later gave a provisional combination of hypoxia and hyperthermia as the cause of death. The victims were initially believed to be Chinese nationals, but on 2 November 2019 Essex Police confirmed all 39 were Vietnamese. By 7 November all had been formally identified, with hometowns later released spanning Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Hải Phòng, Quảng Bình and Thừa Thiên-Huế provinces.

The trailer had been loaded onto a ferry at Zeebrugge, Belgium, and shipped to Purfleet, Essex, arriving around 00:30 on 23 October, where it was collected by a lorry cab believed to have travelled from Northern Ireland via the Republic of Ireland and Holyhead. Essex Police led an investigation described as the largest mass-fatality victim-identification effort in the force's history, working with authorities in Belgium, Ireland and Vietnam. The National Crime Agency raised the possibility of organised crime involvement, and Belgian, Irish and French authorities separately opened related investigations, including a cross-border operation coordinated by Eurojust that led to 26 arrests in France and Belgium in May 2020.

Maurice Robinson, the driver who discovered the bodies, pleaded guilty to conspiring to assist illegal immigration and to the manslaughter of the 39 victims, and was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months. Ronan Hughes, described in court proceedings as a ringleader, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years. Gheorghe Nica and Eamonn Harrison were found guilty at the Old Bailey of manslaughter and related offences, receiving 27 years and 18 years respectively. Christopher Kennedy, Valentin Calota and Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga were convicted of conspiring to facilitate unlawful immigration, receiving sentences of seven years, four and a half years and three years respectively. Gazmir Nuzi received a 10-month sentence for a limited role. Later UK convictions included Dragos-Stefan Damian (three years ten months), Marius Draghici (12 years 7 months) and Caolan Gormley (seven years). In total, 11 people were convicted in the United Kingdom in connection with the deaths.

In Belgium, 19 people were convicted in January 2022 of participating in a people-smuggling ring linked to the case, including ringleader Vo Van Hong, sentenced to 15 years. Those convicted, mostly Vietnamese or Belgians of Vietnamese origin, were accused of supplying, transporting or acting as look-outs for the migrants. Vietnamese authorities also arrested and charged several individuals in Nghệ An Province in connection with the smuggling network. Families of the victims subsequently faced difficulties and costs in repatriating the bodies, with international fundraising efforts helping cover expenses before all bodies were returned to Vietnam by the end of November 2019.

Key facts

Victims
On file
Date
2019
Location
Waterglade Industrial Park, Eastern Avenue, Grays, Essex, UK
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2019-10-15

    Refrigerated trailer leased from a rental company in County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland.

  2. 2019-10-19

    Lorry cab believed to have been driven from Northern Ireland, travelling via the Republic of Ireland and Holyhead.

  3. 2019-10-23

    Bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals found in a refrigerated lorry trailer in Grays, Essex; driver Maurice Robinson arrested at the scene.

  4. 2019-10-25

    Two people arrested in Warrington and one at Stansted Airport on suspicion of manslaughter and conspiracy to traffic people; later released on bail.

  5. 2019-10-26

    Essex Police charge Maurice Robinson with 39 counts of manslaughter and other offences.

  6. 2019-10-29

    Two brothers from Armagh, Northern Ireland, named as wanted in connection with the deaths.

  7. 2019-11-02

    Essex Police confirm all 39 victims were Vietnamese nationals, not Chinese as initially believed.

  8. 2019-11-07

    All 39 victims formally identified.

  9. 2019-11-25

    Maurice Robinson pleads guilty to conspiring to assist illegal immigration and acquiring criminal property.

  10. 2019-11-04

    Vietnamese police arrest eight suspects in Nghệ An Province in connection with the smuggling ring.

  11. 2020-02-11

    Essex Police announce provisional causes of death as a combination of hypoxia and hyperthermia.

  12. 2020-04-08

    Maurice Robinson pleads guilty to the manslaughter of the 39 victims.

  13. 2020-04-20

    Ronan Hughes arrested in the Republic of Ireland on a European Arrest Warrant and charged with 39 counts of manslaughter.

  14. 2020-05-25

    French and Belgian police carry out coordinated raids, arresting 26 people suspected of human trafficking related to the case.

  15. 2020-06-12

    Ireland's High Court orders extradition of Ronan Hughes to the UK.

  16. 2020-08-28

    Ronan Hughes pleads guilty to the manslaughter of 39 people.

  17. 2020-12-21

    Gheorghe Nica and Eamonn Harrison found guilty at the Old Bailey of manslaughter and related offences.

  18. 2021-01-11

    Gazmir Nuzi sentenced to 10 months and immediately released.

  19. 2021-01-22

    Ronan Hughes and Gheorghe Nica sentenced to 20 and 27 years respectively; other defendants sentenced.

  20. 2021-03-17

    Caolan Gormley charged with conspiracy to assist illegal immigration.

  21. 2022-01

    19 people convicted in Belgium of participation in a people-smuggling ring linked to the deaths.

  22. 2022-03-21

    Dragos-Stefan Damian jailed for three years and ten months.

  23. 2023-07-11

    Marius Draghici jailed for 12 years and 7 months.

  24. 2023-11-30

    Caolan Gormley convicted and jailed for seven years.

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People

  • Dragos-Stefan Damian

    CONVICTED

    Found guilty of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration; jailed three years and ten months.

  • Ronan Hughes

    CONVICTED

    Described as ringleader; pleaded guilty to manslaughter of 39 people and people-smuggling offences; sentenced to 20 years.

  • Marius Mihai Draghici

    CONVICTED

    Romanian national charged with 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration; later jailed for 12 years and 7 months.

  • Gheorghe Nica

    CONVICTED

    Found guilty at the Old Bailey of manslaughter and conspiracy to transport and assist illegal migrants; sentenced to 27 years.

  • Valentin Calota

    CONVICTED

    Pickup driver convicted of immigration offences; sentenced to four and a half years.

  • Vo Van Hong

    CONVICTED

    Convicted in Belgium as ringleader of a people-smuggling ring linked to the deaths; sentenced to 15 years.

  • Eamonn Harrison

    CONVICTED

    Lorry driver who delivered the trailer to Zeebrugge; found guilty of manslaughter and related offences; sentenced to 18 years.

  • Caolan Gormley

    CONVICTED

    Haulier from County Tyrone convicted of conspiracy to assist illegal immigration; jailed for seven years.

  • Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration; sentenced to three years.

  • Maurice Robinson

    CONVICTED

    Lorry driver who discovered the bodies; pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist illegal immigration; sentenced to 13 years and 4 months.

  • Gazmir Nuzi

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration with a limited role; sentenced to 10 months and released.

  • Christopher Kennedy

    CONVICTED

    Lorry driver convicted of immigration offences; sentenced to seven years.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Waterglade Industrial Park, Eastern Avenue, Grays, Essex, UK

51.4789, 0.2733

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On 23 October 2019, the bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals were found in a refrigerated lorry trailer in Grays, Essex. A multi-country investigation led to 11 people convicted in the UK and a further 19 convicted in Belgium.
Where did the crime happen?
Waterglade Industrial Park, Eastern Avenue, Grays, Essex, UK.
Who was convicted?
Dragos-Stefan Damian (Found guilty of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration; jailed three years and ten months.), Ronan Hughes (Described as ringleader; pleaded guilty to manslaughter of 39 people and people-smuggling offences; sentenced to 20 years.), Marius Mihai Draghici (Romanian national charged with 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration; later jailed for 12 years and 7 months.), Gheorghe Nica (Found guilty at the Old Bailey of manslaughter and conspiracy to transport and assist illegal migrants; sentenced to 27 years.), Valentin Calota (Pickup driver convicted of immigration offences; sentenced to four and a half years.), Vo Van Hong (Convicted in Belgium as ringleader of a people-smuggling ring linked to the deaths; sentenced to 15 years.), Eamonn Harrison (Lorry driver who delivered the trailer to Zeebrugge; found guilty of manslaughter and related offences; sentenced to 18 years.), Caolan Gormley (Haulier from County Tyrone convicted of conspiracy to assist illegal immigration; jailed for seven years.), Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga (Pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration; sentenced to three years.), Maurice Robinson (Lorry driver who discovered the bodies; pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to assist illegal immigration; sentenced to 13 years and 4 months.), Gazmir Nuzi (Pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration with a limited role; sentenced to 10 months and released.), and Christopher Kennedy (Lorry driver convicted of immigration offences; sentenced to seven years.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in United Kingdom

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICEssex lorry deathsWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — BBC NewsBBC News · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The GuardianThe Guardian · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 10, 2026