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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Man thought to have walked entire Channel tunnel stopped by police at exit | Man thought to have walked entire Channel tunnel stopped by police at exit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A suspected illegal immigrant is understood to have walked almost the entire length of the 50km (31 miles) Channel tunnel from France before being apprehended by Kent police close to the tunnel exit at Folkestone. | A suspected illegal immigrant is understood to have walked almost the entire length of the 50km (31 miles) Channel tunnel from France before being apprehended by Kent police close to the tunnel exit at Folkestone. |
| The man, thought to be Sudanese, was detected inside the tunnel less than 1km from the Folkestone terminal at 6.13pm on Tuesday. | The man, thought to be Sudanese, was detected inside the tunnel less than 1km from the Folkestone terminal at 6.13pm on Tuesday. |
| Kent police said in a statement: “Kent police officers investigating an incident where a man was located in the Channel tunnel near to its exit at the Folkestone terminal at 6.13pm on 4 August have charged a man. | Kent police said in a statement: “Kent police officers investigating an incident where a man was located in the Channel tunnel near to its exit at the Folkestone terminal at 6.13pm on 4 August have charged a man. |
| “Abdul Rahman Haroun, 40, of no fixed abode, has been charged with causing an obstruction to an engine or carriage using the railway under the Malicious Damage Act 1861.” | “Abdul Rahman Haroun, 40, of no fixed abode, has been charged with causing an obstruction to an engine or carriage using the railway under the Malicious Damage Act 1861.” |
| He was due to appear at Medway magistrates court on Thursday. | He was due to appear at Medway magistrates court on Thursday. |
| Immigration enforcement officers from the Home Office are also investigating the incident in a separate inquiry. | Immigration enforcement officers from the Home Office are also investigating the incident in a separate inquiry. |
| A spokesman for Eurotunnel said the man had been found in one of the two railway tunnels rather than the service tunnel which runs through the middle. | A spokesman for Eurotunnel said the man had been found in one of the two railway tunnels rather than the service tunnel which runs through the middle. |
| “We have launched an investigation. An intrusion into the tunnel is an extremely rare incident. It is illegal and highly dangerous.” he said. “This person could have been seriously injured or killed”. | “We have launched an investigation. An intrusion into the tunnel is an extremely rare incident. It is illegal and highly dangerous.” he said. “This person could have been seriously injured or killed”. |
| There have been thousands of attempts this summer by migrants to try and get onto shuttle trains at the terminal near Calais. At least nine people have died trying to cross to Britain during the crisis which has placed UK police and social services under huge strain. | |
| David Cameron was briefed by ministers and officials on the latest measures to tackle the Channel crossings crisis and the government would continue to work very closely with the authorities in France, a No 10 spokeswoman said. “This morning the PM held a meeting with minsters, senior officials, Border Force and the National Crime Agency to discuss progress on improving security at the Channel Tunnel at Coquelles and alleviating disruption in Kent”, she said. | |
| Following Monday’s Cobra emergency committee “a series of measures have been introduced in Coquelles in close collaboration with the French authorities, including new fencing, extra dog search teams and security guards, and Border Force access to the control room, alongside the police reinforcements that the French authorities have put in place,” she added. | |
| A former British ambassador to France warned there was no “magic solution”. Sir John Holmes, who held the post between 2001 and 2007, said the situation at the port was part of a wider influx of people into Europe from the Middle East and North Africa. | |
| Nightly incursions by migrants and blockades by striking ferry staff in northern France have led to UK haulage firms incurring huge losses. | |
| Kent county council has admitted it has no more foster beds available to accommodate unaccompanied asylum seeking children arriving in the county. | |
| Kent police and crime commissioner Ann Barnes said the Government has agreed to meet all extra costs linked to the policing of Operation Stack and dealing with suspected illegal immigrants. | |
| She said: “It’s only right and proper that the extra money Kent Police spends to deal with this national civil emergency comes from central government coffers and not from our local policing budget. | |
| “I am very pleased that the Home Office recognises this because the force is having to look after every single penny because of past, present and future cuts to police funding.” |