A PEOPLE smuggler who went on the run in a bid to dodge justice claimed an Albanian gang threatened to kill him and his family.

Peter Martin, 51, was arrested by Border Force officers at the Channel Tunnel entrance in Coquelles, northern France, in October 2016.

The officers found 11 Albanian nationals hidden in the back of his hired Ford Transit van.

Nick Drinkal, Director of Border Force South East and Europe, said: “Before the van was opened Martin told officers he had been to France to buy beer for a party, but when the doors were unlocked officers found the majority of the space was taken up with people rather than alcohol."

The Albanians – 10 men and one woman – were passed to the French Police Aux Frontieres.

The case was passed to Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigation (CFI) team and Martin was ultimately charged with assisting unlawful immigration into the UK and released on court granted bail.

In May 2017 he appeared for a pre-trial hearing at Canterbury Crown Court, but shortly afterwards stopped complying with his bail conditions.

In August 2017 a bench warrant was issued for his arrest and on March 27 this year he was arrested by police at an address in Ipswich.

Martin, whose last known address was Peter Bruff Avenue, Clacton, denied the charge when he was produced for the start of his trial at Canterbury Crown Court on July 29.

He admitted attempting to smuggle the group into the UK, but claimed to be acting under duress, stating that he was being threatened by a group of Albanians.

He claimed the unidentified gang had threatened to kill him and his immediate family if he did not collect the people from France and bring them to the UK.

The jury was not convinced and on Friday took less than an hour to find Martin guilty.

He reappeared at court yesterday for sentencing.

Assistant Director David Fairclough, from CFI, said: “Martin thought he could escape justice, but this case demonstrates that law enforcement’s reach is wide and its memory is long.

"Ultimately, there is no hiding place.

“This was an unsophisticated attempt to smuggle people into the UK illegally.

"Martin knew what he was doing was wrong and contrary to his claims, was not acting under duress.

“I hope Martin’s imprisonment sends a clear message that anyone who engages in this kind of criminality will be caught and brought before the courts.”

Martin was jailed for five years and six months.

Mr Drinkal added: “We will continue to work with other UK and French law enforcement agencies to ensure that people smugglers and traffickers, whose actions so often put the lives of others at risk, face the full consequences of their crimes.”