Shotley Marina Smuggling Trial: Two Men Deny Assisting Unlawful Immigration

Published on October 7, 2025

This year, BAS has made it more hassle-free for students to bring the enthusiasm of Ticket to Antarctica into the classroom. Teachers can sign up their entire class to get class-audience “current events” type updates, and kids of all ages can autonomously sign up to follow the adventure. Excitement for this opportunity has already been seen coming from schools around the world, many of whom are eager to expose students to the beauty of Antarctica.

One teacher shared that their Year 4 pupils had loved receiving their weekly message the previous year. They would eagerly meet the teacher at the door each morning to ask if it had arrived, and the teacher mentioned that it really brought the adventure to life for the students.

For teachers wanting to help students gain a better appreciation of the region, on November 27, 2025, BAS will provide live calls with researchers at Halley VI Research Station during the STEM Protect Our Planet Day. This has been designed for Key Stage 2 and 3 students and allows them the opportunity to engage in Q&A and learn from the climate research scientists directly.

The Smuggling Allegation: How It Unfolded

The prosecution claims that Laurinavicius and Venclauskas sailed the boat from Southampton with the intention of picking up five Albanian men from Belgium before returning to the UK. The Border Force’s involvement began when a phone call came through from the Shotley Marina harbour master, alerting authorities to the suspicious activity involving the boat. Border Force officers were dispatched to the marina, where they found Laurinavicius and Venclauskas standing on the pontoon. Another man, who has yet to be identified, was seen running away from the scene.

Upon investigation, officers found five men below deck in the boat’s cabin. Of these men, one was 17 years old, and the others had previously been refused entry to the UK, according to the Border Force officer, Madeline Klingsick, who gave evidence at the trial. The defendants, who were already at the marina when Border Force arrived, denied any knowledge of the men aboard the boat and maintained that they had not intentionally traveled to Belgium.

Defendants’ Testimonies: What They Claim Happened

Laurinavicius testified that he had no knowledge of the Albanian men found on the boat. He explained that after purchasing the boat in Southampton, he and Venclauskas were on their way to Lincolnshire, traveling along the coast. Laurinavicius explained that, while celebrating the purchase, he had consumed alcohol and eventually fell asleep during the trip. He mentioned that upon waking up, they realized they had lost sight of the coast and unintentionally ended up traveling to France, and then later to Belgium.

Laurinavicius also explained that they chose Shotley Marina as their destination because they were experiencing engine trouble off the coast of England and Shotley was the closest marina. He insisted that they had no prior intention of going to Belgium and that at no point did he see any people aboard the boat in Belgium. Laurinavicius explained that they were both shocked and stressed when they realized they had ended up in Belgium, and all they wanted at that moment was to get back to England.

Venclauskas, in his testimony, also corroborated Laurinavicius’s version of events. He explained that he had known Laurinavicius since childhood and that they had not planned to travel to Belgium. Venclauskas added that Laurinavicius had been drinking and that he himself had been tasked with navigating the boat. Venclauskas claimed that he had woken Laurinavicius after they had lost sight of the coast, and he expressed his uncertainty about their location. He further stated that he did not see anyone get onto the boat in Belgium and had no knowledge of the five men who were found aboard.

Border Force Officer’s Account of the Incident

During the trial, Border Force officer Madeline Klingsick recounted her experience of the night in question. According to Klingsick, her team was called to Shotley Marina at 21:25 BST on April 15, following a phone call from the harbour master. She stated that when they arrived, the two defendants were on the pontoon, and a third man was seen running away from the scene. Inside the boat’s cabin, the Border Force team discovered the five Albanian men.

Officer Klingsick confirmed that one of the five men was 17 years old and that some of them had been previously refused entry to the UK. She also noted that the location of Shotley Marina made it a more convenient place to offload the migrants compared to larger ports. The prosecution suggests that the defendants chose Shotley Marina because it would make the process easier.

However, Laurinavicius denied this claim, stating that they had chosen Shotley simply because it was the closest marina when their boat encountered engine trouble. He insisted that they had not seen the five men and had no plans to offload any passengers at Shotley.

The Prosecution’s Arguments: Location and Motive

The prosecution has argued that the location of Shotley Marina was strategically chosen due to its proximity and the ease with which the five Albanian men could be offloaded without drawing attention. They suggested that the defendants had chosen this site deliberately to carry out the smuggling operation discreetly. However, the defense maintains that the location was not chosen with this intent and that any issues with engine trouble were the sole reason for stopping at Shotley.

Legal Arguments and Next Steps

As the trial continues, the defense remains firm in its argument that both Laurinavicius and Venclauskas had no knowledge of the people aboard the boat and had no intention of smuggling anyone into the country. The defendants’ testimonies suggest a series of accidents and misadventures that led to their arrival in Belgium and the eventual stop at Shotley Marina.

For now, the case continues to unfold in Ipswich Crown Court, with both the prosecution and the defense presenting their evidence. If convicted, the two men could face severe penalties for their alleged involvement in people smuggling. The trial is expected to continue for the next few weeks as further evidence and testimonies are presented.

A Complicated Case of Smuggling and Miscommunication

This Intricate case reminds us of the continued complications law enforcement has on people smuggling. While the defendants claim that they have done nothing wrong, the information provided thus far indicates that the situation may not be as simple as it first appeared. The trial will most likely pursue the intricacies of the ferry flight, the behavior of the defendants, and the circumstances that led to the detection of the five men at Shotley Marina.