People smuggler forced to forfeit migrant trip yacht

• Moment migrant makes emergency call from the boat

A people smuggler who almost killed eight immigrants in a failed trip across the English Channel has been ordered to forfeit his yacht.

James Wisbey's yacht ran aground off Teignmouth in South Devon during a gale a year ago as he tried to land his cargo of terrified immigrants.

They had each paid 20,000 Euros to an Albanian gang to transport them illegally to Britain from France.

Yacht skipper Wisbey was paid almost £20,000 to carry them but coastguards and police became suspicious and monitored the final stages by helicopter.

They saw the ill-equipped, overladen and underpowered 27-foot sloop Sea Crystal almost founder in mountainous seas before Wisbey ran it aground at Horse Cove, Teignmouth on December 14 last year.

The eight Albanians scrambled ashore and crossed the main Paddington to Penzance railway line before climbing a cliff, where an Albanian accomplice was waiting with a van.

Police and Border Force officials arrested them all and Wisbey and crew Faye Miles were rescued from the boat, which was badly damaged.

Wisbey, aged 55 and of West Hoe in Plymouth, and Miles, aged 38 and of no fixed address, admitted conspiracy to break immigration rules.

Wisbey was jailed for five years, four months, and Miles for two years at Exeter Crown Court in July.

An investigation was launched under the Proceeds of Crime Act which discovered his assets were limited to the yacht and £102.67 in a bank account.

Judge Timothy Rose made a deprivation order for the yacht in a further hearing at Exeter Crown Court today (December 7).

He certified the benefit which Wisbey received from crime as £19,136.76 and the available amount as £102.67 and ordered him to pay within two months or serve an extra seven days in prison.

He said: “The defendant could not really put up much objection to the deprivation order as the yacht was the instrument of this offence.”

Miss Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said the Sea Crystal is likely to be disposed of because it was so badly damaged that it has little value.

It has been stored at the expense of the police since the rescue and the fees far outweigh any residual value. She said Wisbey’s only asset was the cash in his bank account.

Mr Jason Beal, defending, said Wisbey is currently serving his sentence in Channings Wood and had agreed to the orders.