10th June, 2026 | News

First Convictions Under New UK Channel Crossing Safety Law

Two men have become the first individuals to be jailed under a new UK law that criminalises endangering lives during small-boat crossings of the English Channel.

At Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday, Afghan national Mohammad Tajik, 32, was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a Channel crossing on 17 January. According to prosecutors, Tajik was steering an overcrowded dinghy carrying migrants in poor weather conditions before abandoning the vessel and its passengers when a rescue boat arrived.

The court heard that several passengers were not wearing life jackets, and Tajik had no boating experience. Prosecutors said he was even asking others to search YouTube for guidance on how to operate the vessel.

In a separate case, Alnour Ali, 26, a Sudanese national, received a prison sentence of two years and three months after admitting to endangering lives during a crossing on 9 April. Drone footage presented in court showed Ali steering a dinghy carrying 74 people, many of whom were sitting on the sides of the boat with their legs hanging in the water.

Although four migrants died on the same day while attempting to board another dinghy near Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, Judge Simon James stressed that Ali was not being sentenced in connection with those deaths.

During sentencing, Judge James highlighted the dangers of attempting to cross one of the world’s busiest shipping routes in overcrowded and poorly equipped boats. He noted that the risks increase significantly when vessels lack navigation equipment and adequate safety gear.

Defense lawyers argued that both men were vulnerable migrants themselves. Ali reportedly fled conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region, while Tajik left Afghanistan after witnessing the Taliban kill his father and brother. Both men have since applied for asylum in the UK.

The convictions were secured under a new offence introduced in January as part of the UK government’s border security measures. The law allows courts to impose prison sentences of up to five years on individuals whose actions endanger lives during sea journeys to the UK. The legislation is aimed at discouraging dangerous Channel crossings and tackling unsafe practices linked to people-smuggling operations.