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| Calais child smuggler Rob Lawrie pleads for French leniency | Calais child smuggler Rob Lawrie pleads for French leniency |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A former soldier said he wants the authorities in France to deal with him leniently after he was caught trying to smuggle an Afghan child into the UK. | A former soldier said he wants the authorities in France to deal with him leniently after he was caught trying to smuggle an Afghan child into the UK. |
| Rob Lawrie, 49, from Leeds, said he would admit trying to get Bahar - known as Bru - into the UK when he appears in court in Boulogne later. | |
| He appeared with the child on his lap at a media conference in the French town on Thursday. | He appeared with the child on his lap at a media conference in the French town on Thursday. |
| Mr Lawrie said he feared "being made an example of" by the court. | Mr Lawrie said he feared "being made an example of" by the court. |
| 'Compassionate country' | 'Compassionate country' |
| He told the assembled media: "They see the media attention I have been getting and I think it could go one of two ways. | He told the assembled media: "They see the media attention I have been getting and I think it could go one of two ways. |
| "France has an opportunity to show, as I know they are, a compassionate country." | "France has an opportunity to show, as I know they are, a compassionate country." |
| Mr Lawrie said he regretted his actions and would not repeat the effort. | Mr Lawrie said he regretted his actions and would not repeat the effort. |
| 'Don't do it' | 'Don't do it' |
| He told others who may be thinking of following his actions: "Don't do it. On a personal level it will ruin your life." | He told others who may be thinking of following his actions: "Don't do it. On a personal level it will ruin your life." |
| Mr Lawrie, an aid worker, was stopped in Calais as he returned home in October 2015. | Mr Lawrie, an aid worker, was stopped in Calais as he returned home in October 2015. |
| The former Army physical training instructor said he was helping build shelters in The Jungle camp when he got to know Bru and her father asked him to help get her to close family members living legally in Leeds. | The former Army physical training instructor said he was helping build shelters in The Jungle camp when he got to know Bru and her father asked him to help get her to close family members living legally in Leeds. |
| He was caught when British sniffer dogs found two Eritrean men who, unbeknown to him, had also stowed in the back of his van. | He was caught when British sniffer dogs found two Eritrean men who, unbeknown to him, had also stowed in the back of his van. |