German couple in court charged with smuggling two Albanian men through Port of Cork

Two Albanian men were found hiding in wardrobes at the back of a camper van that arrived at Ringaskiddy Port on Sunday.

A German couple were today brought before Cork District Court charged with smuggling them into the country.

The allegations were outlined at a bail hearing for the two accused, David Hocks, aged 49, and his partner Anna Edel, aged 44, both of no fixed address in Ireland and from Germany.

Detective Garda Michelle Quinn and Detective Garda Tony Holmes said that immigration officers at Ringaskiddy discovered the two Albanian men concealed in the camper van and that both of these men had since been sent back to France.

Gardaí arrested and charged David Hocks and Anna Edel with two counts each under the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act, and gave evidence that after caution, they made no reply to the charges.

In court it was alleged that each defendant was to have travelled to Dublin by campervan after arrival in Cork and meet someone who would pay them €3,000 each.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said it was not alleged that there was any elaborate concealment of the two Albanian men who would have been free to go where they wanted once they arrived in Ringaskiddy. 

Judge David Waters said the allegations were too serious for this case to be dealt with at the district court and that the case should be dealt with by indictment. On the application of Sergeant David Fleming the case was adjourned until November 17. A book of evidence will have to be prepared.

Despite prosecution objections to bail on the basis that the two accused represented a flight risk, Judge Waters granted bail on a €3,000 bond, of which €1,000 would have to be lodged in cash in each case, they would have to surrender passports or travel documents and not apply for duplicates, and sign on daily at Anglesea Street Garda station.

They were remanded in custody with consent to that bail.

Stopped by immigration officers

It was alleged that on November 8 at Port of Cork, Ringaskiddy, Cork, David Hocks a German national was stopped by immigration officers while he was driving a white campervan, which had just come off the ferry from France. He was accompanied by his partner, Anna Edel.

They were spoken to by immigration officers, and stated they were coming in for a few days to Ireland on holiday but were unable to give any specifics about their destination. 

The campervan was searched, and two Albanian men were found hiding in two wardrobes of the campervan. Neither of these men had visas or travel documents and had no permission to travel or to be in Ireland.

The two charges against each defendant stated ‘on November 8 at Port of Cork, Ringaskiddy, Cork, within said District Court Area of Cork, you did intentionally assist the entry into the State of a person, namely (Albanian name) in breach of a specified provision namely Section 5 of the Immigration Act 2004 as defined in section 5 of the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021, namely (Albanian name), and you knew or had reasonable cause to believe that such entry into, transit across or presence in the State, was in breach of the said specified provision, Contrary to section 6(1) and 10(1) of the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021.’

During the evidence Judge Waters asked if this was allegedly activity done for profit or a case of friends helping friends to cross borders. Det Garda Holmes said it was allegedly part of an organised network, and that the two defendants were to have been paid €3,000 each.

During the bail application, David Hocks said through a German interpreter that they would not leave the country if granted bail and would stay to deal with the case.

“I am not going to flee, I am going to stay in Ireland until the whole matter is resolved,” he said.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, who represented the two accused on free legal aid, said they were EU citizens and the State could arrest them under European Arrest Warrants if they left Ireland.