A MAN has been cleared of smuggling immigrants into Tilbury Docks in a container.

A jury at Basildon Crown Court found Timothy Murphy, 33, of Londonderry, Northern Ireland, not guilty of conspiring to facilitate illegal entry into the UK after the 35 Afghan Sikhs were discovered in August last year.

One man, Meet Singh Kapoor, 40, was found dead inside the container and Basildon Hospital subsequently declared an emergency in tending to the rest of the group, many of whom were young children.

Last week Taha Sharif, 32, of no fixed address, was found guilty of the same charge.

The jury has still not reached a verdict on other defendants Stephen McLaughlin, 34, of Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and Martin McGlinchey, 47, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.