Lorry death enquiries continue

1:22pm Wednesday 3rd December 2008

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THE death of a suspected illegal immigrant found in a lorry near Winchester looks unlikely to be suspicious.

Police are investigating the death of a man discovered on the M3 at Winchester.

The man, believed to be east Asian and 25-30 years old, was discovered by officers who stopped an Italian-registered lorry on the southbound motorway between junction ten and nine at around midday on Tuesday.

The 45-year old Italian driver was arrested and was today (WED) being held at North Walls police station in Winchester.

A post-mortem by a Home Office pathologist Debbie Cook on Tuesday evening was inconclusive.

Coroners officer Barry Thomas said: “There are no injuries to the body. It will be down to histology and toxicology tests. It is looking like natural causes.”

The central Hampshire coroner has been informed and an inquest was expected to open next week.

A spokesman for Southampton and Winchester Visitors’ Group, which supports asylum seekers and refugees, described the man's death as “tragic.”

She said: “Unfortunately it happens too often. To get this far, he has probably been in the hands of ruthless people traffickers.

“He may have given them his life savings or borrowed heavily from his family in order to get away from China either to make a better life for himself or because he did not feel safe.”

Detective Superintendent Dave Williams from Hampshire Major Crime Department said: “At this stage there is no pathological evidence to suggest foul play. Although the man was wearing several layers of clothing and seemed prepared for the cold conditions, we can’t rule out the possibility he died through hypothermia or other natural causes.

“Our enquiry team is currently liaising with the UK Borders Agency, Surrey Police, Kent Police and our partners in Human Trafficking intelligence with a view to identifying the man and the circumstances surrounding his death.

“From other clothes we found inside the trailer, we’re concerned that there were other people, possibly a woman and child, stowed away in the vehicle.

“It’s possible they managed to get out of the vehicle on either the M25 or the M3.”