A Trimley man accused of being part of a gang which tried to smuggle an illegal immigrant into the UK in a purpose-built hidden compartment in the back of a van has denied lying about his involvement in the plan.

During his second day in the witness box at Ipswich Crown Court, John Lockwood said he and his co-defendant Richard Halls had travelled to France to pick up alcohol for a bar in Ipswich and he had no knowledge of the plan to smuggle the illegal immigrant into the UK.

Cross-examined by prosecution counsel, Wayne Cleaver, Lockwood denied that he was lying about his involvement in the plan and that he had been part of a team which had organised the attempted smuggling.

Lockwood, 32, of Mill Close, Trimley St Martin has denied assisting in the unlawful immigration of an Albanian national between October 14 and 17, 2019, by arranging with others for him to hide in the back of a van on a P&O ferry at Dover.

The court has heard that Richard Halls, 39, of St Andrews Place, Melton, Elliott Thompson of Ipswich Road, Stowmarket, and three other men had admitted the charge at earlier hearings.

The trial continues.