Endangering another during a sea crossing to the United Kingdom

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 2 December 2025 but most of its provisions come into force when commenced by Regulations issued by the Secretary of State.

Section 21 of the Act created a new offence of endangering another during a sea crossing to the United Kingdom.  In fact, section 21 amended section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971 so it is to that Act that we now look for the detail of the offence. The new offence was brought into force on 5 January 2026.

In the Crown Court at Canterbury, two men are to be sentenced for the offence - Tajik Mohammad (an Afghan aged 32) and Alnour Mohamed Ali (a Sudanese age 27). They both

entered guilty pleas.

Two men to be sentenced for new offence of endangering lives in small boat crossings - BBC News

Between 1 January and 3 June 2026, a total of 9,142 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France. This was down by 38% on the same period the previous year.

The sentences:

Mohammad Tajik - two-years imprisonment 

Alnour Mohamed Ali - 27-months imprisonment