Career Criminal Jailed for Smuggling Illegal Migrants on Yacht
A career crook using over 40 fake identities has been locked up for almost four years after trying to smuggle eight illegal migrants into the UK on a yacht.
Yacht Intercepted Off West Sussex Coast
The National Crime Agency (NCA) began tailing 64-year-old Charles Lynch, also known as Wolfram Steidl, after Border Force caught his 46-foot motor cruiser Saquerlotte III near Littlehampton, West Sussex on 6 November 2019.
- On board: eight Albanian nationals – five men, two women, and a child.
- He was arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration.
- The vessel was escorted to portsmouth/" title="Portsmouth" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Portsmouth naval base.
Web of Lies and Alias Identities
Lynch, a seasoned fugitive, used fake documents including a Danish driving licence and Romanian ID card to dodge capture. He’d also served time in France for offences including possession of indecent images of children – all under another identity.
Tracking of the yacht showed multiple trips between France and the UK, docking at marinas from Brighton to Dover.
Jail Time and Backlog From Previous Crimes
Lynch pleaded guilty to facilitating illegal immigration and possessing false ID. Portsmouth Crown Court sentenced him to three years and eight months in prison on Friday 26 February.
He must also serve the remainder of his 1991 sentence consecutively, ensuring this career criminal stays behind bars for longer.
