Mass killer Mo Robinson's home may be sold to pay compensation for 39 victims' families

The mass killer had to break the devastating news last week to his former partner that their stunning forever home could soon be on the market to pay the compensation he owes to the families of the 39 Vietnamese migrants who perished in the back of his truck in Essex in October 2019.

Sources close to Robinson say the stunning fairytale home is to be sold off at auction in the New Year to pay for his sickening crime that shocked the world and left his victims' families traumatised and consumed with a never-ending grief.

The Sunday World can reveal that last week's court order to pay over £21,000 in compensation was another blow to the mass killer who continues to struggle with the consequences of his crime.

Last Thursday, Robinson returned to the Old Bailey for a confiscation hearing before Judge Mark Lucraft QC where the court heard he had benefited from his criminal lifestyle to the sum of £50,000.

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay told the court that Robinson only had assets worth a total of £21,262 which included two accounts, more than £10,000 of equity in a property in Armagh, a 4x4 vehicle worth £2,000 and a £200 watch.

Judge Lucraft gave Robinson three months to get the money from the sale of the house, vehicle and watch to pay £21,262 or face a further eight months in jail.

The judge ordered the confiscated cash to be paid as compensation to the families of the 39 victims.

Sources close to Robinson say he is devastated he has put the family home in jeopardy and that his crimes are once again in the media spotlight, bringing more pain to his respected Co Armagh family.

The stunning property at Laurelvale close to Portadown sits in the lee of Gosford Forest Park and is an idyllic location.

"Mo is still struggling to come to terms with what he did, he has very dark moments - nightmares still - but he says he was determined to pay for what he did without dragging his family into it any further. But that's happening all over again," said one source with connections to the jailed trafficker.

"He knew this was coming and for months now it has been tormenting him that he would have to sell the house. He knows that all of his family are victims of what he did and that doesn't rest easy with him at all.

"He knows that every time something happens his family suffer."

The Sunday World contacted Robinson's former partner Jill Coulter to ask her about the prospect of losing her home but all she said was: "I don't want to talk about it."

When questioned if she was still in contact with the father of her twin baby girls, born just days before he was convicted, she told our reporter: "I don't talk about this."

Robinson (27) is in Belmarsh Catagory A Prison in London after being found guilty of the manslaughter of the migrants who suffocated in the back of the trailer he had collected at Purfleet, Essex, 2019.

Robinson had stood to make around £50,000 for the single delivery but his people smuggling bosses Ronan Hughes from Co Monaghan and Romanian Gheorghe Nica (39) packed too many people into the trailer for them to be able to survive the ferry crossing from Belgium.

After finding the 39 bodies, Robinson failed to contact the emergency services immediately but phoned his boss Ronan Hughes.

It was revealed during his trial that it was more than 20 minutes later before he dialled 999, telling the operator: "They're all lying on the ground". But when asked how old they were, he replied: "I don't really want to look in to be honest with you."

He was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison. Another source said he fears he will never be able to survive the full stretch.

"Mo's far from a hard man, he was an opportunist who thought only about making a few quid. Belmarsh is hell on earth for him. He says you constantly live in fear and he finds it hard being locked up. A bit ironic considering what his victims went though," he revealed.

Last year the Sunday World exposed Robinson as a racist and a bigot after obtaining shocking messages he posted on social media.

In one post he chillingly moaned about migrants coming to the UK "stuffed in the back of a lorry".

"I actually hate foreigners. Do us all a favor and go home," he stated.

One picture showed Robinson setting fire to an Irish tricolour while in another post he refers to Catholics as Fenians.

"Hahaha I know that as well! The place is up the left... but I can near stick them more than I can foreigners! At least ya get a few dead on fenians haha."

paula.mackin@sundayworld.com