Six immigration officers charged with offences including stealing from people arriving at Dover in small boat crossings and misconduct in public office have appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court.
One of the officers, 36-year-old Besmir Matera, of Reigate in Surrey, is accused of obtaining leave to enter the UK by deception between 2003 and 2004 – meaning he was not in the country, or working, legally.
He is also accused of three counts of possession of an identity document with improper intention, namely a passport, a full driving licence and a provisional driving licence.
The officers, colleagues in immigration enforcement clandestine operations response teams based at Dover and Manston, are accused of stealing property from migrants and laundering money.
Matera’s co-defendants are charged with conspiracy to steal, misconduct in public office and converting criminal property.
They are Lee-Ann Evanson, 42, of Bracknell in Berkshire; John Bernthal, 53, of Welling; Ben Edwardes, 45, of Bexleyheath and Jack Mitchell, 33, of Dover.
David Grundy, 43, of Croydon, is charged with converting criminal property.
Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service decided to prosecute Besmir Matera, 36, Lee-Ann Evanson, 42, John Bernthal, 53, Ben Edwardes, 45, Jack Mitchell, 33, and David Grundy, 43, following a Home Office investigation into thefts from migrants and money laundering between August 2021 and November 2022.
“Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
“We have worked closely with the Home Office’s Anti-Corruption Criminal Investigations Unit as they carried out their investigation.”
All six defendants appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 29 January and have been bailed to appear at Southwark Crown Court on February 26.
