A moving memorial service was held to remember the 39 Vietnamese people found in a lorry in Grays.

Thurrock Council marked the tragedy on Sunday at West Thurrock Memorial Ground, to remember those who were found in the vehicle in Eastern Avenue, Grays in October 2019. 

The council says the third anniversary is particularly significant in Vietnamese culture which is why the service was specifically organised for Sunday.

A memorial was unveiled at the event, along with 39 trees that have been planted to stand tall in the memorial ground.

The service was led by Reverend Cannon Darren Barlow and attended by dignitaries including Qaisar Abbas, councillor for culture and communities, Ben-Julian Harrington, chief constable at Essex Police, Roger Hirst, police, fire and crime commissioner and To Minh Thu, counselor and deputy chief of Mission from the Embassy of Vietnam.

READ MORE >>>

Father Joseph Cuong, a Vietnamese priest from Augustinian of the Assumption, Bethnal Green, also spoke at the event on behalf of Father Simon Thang Duc Nguyen, a Vietnamese priest from London who had recently travelled to Vietnam to meet the families of victims.

Echo:

The wording on the memorial reads: In remembrance and testimony to those who tragically lost their lives at the hands of organised immigration crime. Thurrock stands united in its commitment to prevent modern day slavery and human trafficking in all its forms by providing support and protection for victims and prosecution of those who see our fellow human beings as mere commodities for trade and exploitation.

The horrific tragedy saw a huge police investigation launched, which led to seven people smugglers receiving a combined total of 92 years in jail.

Haulier boss Ronan Hughes, 41, of Co Armagh in Northern Ireland, and Maurice Robinson, 26, of Craigavon in Northern Ireland, the driver of the lorry at the time of the discovery, admitted 39 counts of manslaughter.

Ronan Hughes, 41, and Gheorghe Nica, 43, played "leading roles" in the smuggling conspiracy and were jailed for 20 and 27 years respectively.

Christopher Kennedy, 24, from County Armagh, was jailed for seven years; Valentin Calota, 38, of Birmingham, for four-and-a-half years; and Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga, 28, of Hobart Road, Tilbury, Essex, was given a three-year sentence.