British man appears in court after caught allegedly trying to walk through Channel Tunnel to France

The Channel Tunnel

Credit: Christophe Petit Tesson/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

A British man has appeared in court after he was caught allegedly trying to walk through the Channel Tunnel to France.

The suspect was detained by the French authorities while still inside the Tunnel.

Officials in Kent reported the incident after witnesses claimed to have seen a person on foot entering the 31 mile Channel Tunnel at Folkestone on December 21.

It is believed he had been trying to walk the full length of the tunnel in order to make his way to the continent.

The suspect had managed to evade various layers of security that surround the entrance to the tunnel in Kent.

Trains travel inside the tunnel at speeds of up to 100mph, but there is also an emergency service tunnel, where passengers can be diverted if there is a problem.

The suspect was eventually found by officials in the French sector of the tunnel, but still someway from the exit.

He was arrested by the French Border Force on December 21 and appeared in court in Coquelles last Wednesday, where he was charged with entering a railway without authorisation and refusing to comply with railway regulations.

The suspect, who refused to give his name, was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court in Boulogne-sur-Mer on February 1 where he could face six months in jail if convicted. 

A Eurotunnel spokesperson said: "Eurotunnel can confirm that a person was detected inside the Channel Tunnel and taken into custody by the French authorities.

"As there is now a criminal procedure in place we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Damian Collins, the MP for Folkestone and Hythe said: “I’m glad that the trespasser was caught before a nasty accident could happen, although I understand not before causing considerable disruption and loss in revenue to Eurotunnel. 

“This is a very rare incident, and I’d like to thank the British and French authorities for dealing with it so swiftly.”

In 2015 a Sudanese migrant walked the full length of the tunnel from the French side in order to get into Britain.

Abdul Haroun was initially charged with obstructing a railway, but the 40-year-old was eventually granted asylum in the UK.