Two men have been jailed under a new offence of endangering others during a journey at sea. They are the first to be sentenced under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025, which came into force in January as part of government efforts to counter small boat crossings.
Sentences handed down
Mohammad Tajik, a 32-year-old Afghan national, and Alnour Ali, 26, from Sudan, were jailed at Canterbury Crown Court for two years and 27 months respectively. Sentencing them, Judge Simon James highlighted the inherent dangers of navigating one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world in vessels not designed for such journeys. He noted that risks of death and serious injury increase significantly when boats lack navigational aids, are overcrowded, and passengers lack safety equipment.
Details of the offences
Tajik pleaded guilty on 21 April to endangering others at sea. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, he abandoned the dinghy he was piloting across the Channel on 17 January when a rescue ship arrived. The boat was overcrowded, and some passengers were not wearing lifejackets during poor weather conditions.
Ali admitted the charge on 9 April in May. On that day, two men and two women drowned after being swept away by strong currents while trying to board a dinghy at Equihen-Plage, near Boulogne-sur-Mer in France. Judge James said there was no suggestion Ali should be held accountable for those tragic deaths, but noted footage showed people packed into every inch of available space on his boat. He added it was down to luck and good fortune that those onboard were rescued before serious harm.
Law enforcement response
Emma Brown, a National Crime Agency branch operations manager, said after the conviction: “Working with colleagues at home and abroad, we are determined to do all we can to identify and bring to justice those responsible for small boat crossings. The tragic deaths illustrate again how perilous these crossings are and the callous nature of the criminals organising them.”
In both cases, the judge said the Home Office would independently decide whether the men should be allowed to remain in the UK. As the sentences are over 12 months, they will be automatically considered for deportation.
