LONDON: Five UK immigration officers have appeared in court charged with misconduct in public office and conspiring to steal money from migrants arriving on small boats.
The defendants—John Bernthal, 53; Ben Edwardes, 45; Lee-Ann Evanson, 42; Besmir Matera, 36; and Jack Mitchell, 33—are accused of stealing cash from migrants between August 2021 and November 2022. Each faces charges of misconduct in public office and money laundering.
Prosecutor Rosalind Earis told Westminster Magistrates’ Court that the officers worked on the south coast “dealing with recent arrivals on small boats across the Channel.” Many migrants arrive carrying large sums of cash, which the defendants allegedly took for themselves and shared among them.
Besmir Matera faces additional charges of entering or remaining in the UK by deception and possessing three identity documents—a passport and two driving licences—under a false name. Prosecutors say Matera claimed to be from Kosovo and sought asylum in 2003, but was in fact from Albania and arrived on a school trip.
A sixth defendant, David Grundy, 43, is charged only with money laundering. All six were granted bail and are due to appear at Southwark Crown Court in February. No pleas were entered at Thursday’s hearing.
