Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 26, 2026
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Six UK immigration officers pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to steal, misconduct and money laundering tied to small‑boat migrants. Prosecutors cite WhatsApp chats and allege hundreds of thousands stolen; trial set for January 2028.
LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Five British immigration officers on Thursday pleaded not guilty to misconduct in public office and conspiracy to steal from migrants who had arrived in Britain on small boats, ahead of a trial in January 2028.
John Bernthal, 53, Ben Edwardes, 45, Lee-Ann Evanson, 42, Besmir Matera, 36, and Jack Mitchell, 33, are charged with stealing from migrants from August 2021 to November 2022.
All five are also charged with one count of misconduct in public office and one count of money laundering.
A sixth defendant, 43-year-old David Grundy, is charged with one count of money laundering. All six defendants entered not guilty pleas at London's Southwark Crown Court.
Matera is also charged with obtaining leave to enter or remain in Britain by deception and possession of three identity documents – a British passport and full and provisional driving licences – in a false name, which he denies.
The six all worked as immigration officers on Britain's south coast, dealing with migrants arriving on small boats.
The crossings of small boats carrying migrants from France, the most visible sign of arrivals, have become a focal point for British voters and has helped propel Nigel Farage's anti-immigration Reform UK party into an opinion poll lead.
Prosecutor Lyndon Harris said Matera was arrested in relation to the immigration offences in October 2022 and WhatsApp messages were found which showed the defendants "discussing and forming an agreement to steal from migrants".
He added that the total alleged to be stolen was unclear, but was "in the hundreds of thousands" of pounds.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Six UK immigration officers pleaded not guilty to charges over alleged thefts from small‑boat migrants processed on the south coast. A trial is scheduled for January 2028 at Southwark Crown Court.
John Bernthal, Ben Edwardes, Lee‑Ann Evanson, Besmir Matera and Jack Mitchell face conspiracy to steal, misconduct in public office and money‑laundering counts. David Grundy is charged with money laundering.
Prosecutors say WhatsApp messages showed discussions about an agreement to steal from migrants, with alleged sums in the hundreds of thousands of pounds. All defendants deny the allegations.
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