A people smuggler who said he was acting on "humanitarian grounds" by bringing illegal migrants into the UK has been jailed.

A judge rejected Aram Asatoor Tadevossian's defence, ruling that he had acted for financial gain by trying to smuggle 11 Iraqis through the Channel Tunnel.

He was sentenced to four and a half years in prison on Tuesday.

Tadevossian, 56, from Portsmouth was stopped by Border Force officers at the UK side of the Tunnel in France last November 30.

"The sentence should serve as a warning to anyone tempted to get involved with this kind of criminality. We will catch you." Tony Erne, deputy director, Immigration Enforcement Criminal Investigation

A British-registered Mercedes van driven by Tadevossian was found to have 11 people - including five children - hidden in a purpose built hide under a shelf in the back of the van.

When questioned by officers he said he had been visiting his property near Aubsusson in France.

He was arrested at the scene and an investigation was launched by Immigration Enforcement Criminal Investigation officers.

Tadevossian, of Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea, Portsmouth, was then charged with assisting unlawful immigration into the UK on December 11 before appearing at Canterbury Crown Court this week.

Deputy director Tony Erne, from the Immigration Enforcement Criminal Investigations team, said: "This conviction shows how our dedicated and specialist teams are cracking down on the criminals involved in the vile trade of people smuggling.

"The sentence handed out should serve as a warning to anyone tempted to get involved with this kind of criminality. We will catch you, and put you before the courts.

"We will continue to work closely with Border Force colleagues to rigorously investigate allegations of immigration related criminality."

The 11 migrants were passed into the control of the French Police Aux Frontières.

Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.