Third NI man arrested over Tilbury Docks container death

Dungannon man held following the death of a man in a shipping container in Merseyside last month

A handout photo issued by Essex Police of the shipping container where a 34-strong group of Afghan Sikhs from Kabul were found at Tilbury Docks. Photograph: PA

A third man has been arrested in connection with the death of an Afghan immigrant found in a shipping container, police said.

The 47-year-old from Dungannon in Northern Ireland was arrested in Merseyside this morning in connection with the death of Meet Singh Kapoor (40) who was found with 34 living people at Tilbury Docks in Essex on August 16th.

The man was held at Liverpool Ferry Port on suspicion of manslaughter and facilitating illegal entry into the United Kingdom and is due to transfer to Essex Police custody this evening, the force said.

Two lorry drivers have already appeared in court in connection with the case.

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Stephen McLaughlin (34) and Timothy Murphy (33) both from Derry, Northern Ireland, are charged with conspiring to facilitate illegal entry into the UK.

They are due to appear next at Basildon Crown Court in November.

Kapoor was among a group of 35 immigrants found in the container, including 13 children, the rest of whom survived the ordeal.

The group, whose ages ranged from one to 72, are believed to have fled Afghanistan after suffering persecution.

PA