Adrian and Joanne Fenton, a couple from Heybridge, Essex, were left shocked after discovering that a migrant had clung to the back of their motorhome for a six-hour journey from France to the UK. Their surprise soon turned to frustration when they received a £1,500 fine from the Home Office for failing to check that no “clandestine entrant” was hidden on their vehicle. The couple, who immediately reported the discovery to the police, are now appealing the penalty, arguing that they did everything right by notifying authorities.
The couple had been on a trip to France with friends and returned to the UK via ferry on October 15. They stated that border officials in both Calais and the UK had not inspected their bike rack or the cover where the migrant was hidden before or after their crossing. Upon reaching home at around 10:15 PM, Mr. Fenton unzipped the bike rack’s tightly packed cover and was stunned to see a pair of trainers sticking out. Realizing there was a person inside, he immediately called out to his wife, instructing her to contact the police. Mrs. Fenton described the moment, recalling how they found the young man inside the cover, visibly exhausted but responsive. She offered him a bottle of water, and he thanked her before speaking with the police.
According to the couple, the migrant told authorities that he was 16 years old and from Sudan. The police took charge of the situation, and the couple assumed they had handled the matter responsibly. However, while vacationing in Australia over Christmas, they received an email from the Home Office notifying them of the fine. The notice accused them of failing to ensure that no one was concealed inside their vehicle, citing asylum and immigration legislation. The couple expressed outrage over the penalty, with Mr. Fenton stating that he never expected to be punished for doing the “correct and moral” thing by reporting the incident. He also warned that such fines could deter travelers from reporting stowaways, fearing they might face similar consequences.
Mrs. Fenton also contested the Home Office’s justification for the fine, pointing out that the young man had been clinging to the outside of the vehicle rather than being inside the motorhome itself. Additionally, the fine stated that the migrant was discovered by an “authorized search officer,” despite the fact that the couple had been the ones to find him and call the police. The couple’s local MP, Sir John Whittingdale, has since written to the Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, asking for a review of their case.