Templar European Logistics has vowed to continue its legal battle over a fine of several thousand pounds it received from the UK Border Force for unknowingly transporting migrants to the UK – despite the fact its truck had been secured and later checked at Eurotunnel.
Templar European Logistics, which is registered in Poland but owned by Englishman Matthew Garnett, wrote about the situation on its Facebook Page in May of this year:
Got a lovely letter of border Force today !!! Explaining that I have been fined £4,000 for calling the police and telling them we had immigrants in the trailer!! Yep got to love the mentality of the UK Government!!!
According to Templar European Logistics, the truck in question had been loaded with fresh vegetables in Italy before it stopped near Reims in France for a break. The haulier says its driver then did his walk-round checks and saw nothing unusual – the seal and locking bar were intact. The company’s driver then made his way to Eurotunnel to cross the English Channel as planned.
Templar European Logistics says the truck was checked for CO2 at Eurotunnel and was also subjected to the normal security tests, with nothing untoward found.
However, it is said that when the company’s driver parked at Oxford Services, he heard noises from the trailer and called the police. Officers then reportedly found 5 migrants inside.
In an update to the story, Templar European Logistics revealed this morning that it had actually been fined £5,000 – a sum it says it shall do everything to avoid paying.
As the administrator of Templar’s Facebook Page writes, UK Border Force insists the haulage firm needs to show a checklist to confirm its driver had gone through all the steps in security checks.
The haulier also claims that the police warned them against lodging an appeal as it could result in further damages. Templar European Logistics' boss nonetheless stresses that he shall be going through the appeal process regardless:
Guess what, they better be prepared for me as i will not pay these people till the court make me and even then it will be in 1p pieces!
Another point raised in the Facebook post above was the issue of hauliers who report migrants in their vehicles being punished for their honesty:
This law was never meant to be used in this way and many good professional hauliers and drivers have been prosecuted for doing the right thing and it’s wrong.
The haulier also questioned whether £1,000 fines like the one his driver received make sense amid the current HGV driver shortage.
Photo credit (illustrative image): Cambridgeshire Constabulary