Key facts
- Two men, Mohammad Tajik and Alnour Ali, have been jailed under a new UK law targeting Channel crossings.
- Tajik, an Afghan national, received a two-year sentence for piloting a small boat on January 17.
- Ali, a Sudanese national, received a 27-month sentence for piloting a crowded vessel on April 9.
- The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 created the offence of endangering others at sea.
- Judges emphasized the inherent dangers of the crossings and the need for deterrence.
- Both men will be automatically considered for deportation by the Home Office.
Two men have been jailed for the first time under a new UK law that criminalizes endangering others during small boat journeys across the Channel. Mohammad Tajik, an Afghan national, was sentenced to two years in prison for piloting a dinghy on January 17. Alnour Ali, from Sudan, received a 27-month sentence for piloting a crowded vessel on April 9.
Sentencing the men at Canterbury crown court, Judge Simon James highlighted the extreme dangers of navigating the busy shipping lanes in overcrowded and ill-equipped vessels, emphasizing that immediate imprisonment is necessary as a deterrent. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 introduced the offence, carrying a maximum sentence of five years, or six years for those in breach of a deportation order.
While Ali was not held responsible for the deaths of four individuals who drowned attempting to reach his boat, footage showed people packed into every available space. Both Tajik and Ali pleaded guilty to the charges. Following their sentences, both men will be automatically considered for deportation by the Home Office.