Overview
- Azzeddine Ain‑Bouzid, 29, was sentenced to 24 months at Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to endangering lives at sea and arriving without entry clearance.
- Prosecutors relied on crystal‑clear Immigration Enforcement drone footage and police bodycam video to show Ain‑Bouzid piloting an April 18 crossing that carried 66–67 other people including children and a pregnant woman.
- Court evidence said the inflatable was designed for about 20 people, people sat with their feet in the water and not everyone wore lifejackets, and Ain‑Bouzid briefly let go of the tiller when a Border Force vessel approached, causing the boat to spin.
- This is the third jail term handed down under the endangerment offence since it came into force on 5 January 2026, following June sentences for Mohammad Tajik and Ali Alnour, and the CPS says multiple other prosecutions are underway.
- The endangerment offence was added by the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 and carries a maximum five‑year sentence; ministers say enforcement actions and disruptions are up nearly 50 percent while charities call for more safe, legal routes for people fleeing danger.