A LEIGH man, who was caught with a van-load of illegal immigrants at Dover, failed in an Appeal Court bid to cut his five-year jail term.

Lawyers for Stuart Lally, 53, of Eden Grove, argued he was suffering from depression and was "vulnerable to exploitation" at the time of the smuggling trip and the sentence was "manifestly excessive".

But, dismissing his appeal, Judge Rhys Davies QC told London's Appeal Court immigrant smuggling was an increasing scourge and deterrent jail terms were necessary.

The judge, sitting with Lord Justice Rose and Mr Justice Stanley Burnton, described how a hired van driven by Lally was stopped at Dover East Docks on April 11, 1998.

When customs officers asked to inspect the van's contents, Lally told them he didn't know how to open it. Inside the van, officers discovered 19 illegal entrants.

Lally, who was convicted and jailed at Canterbury Crown Court in May last year, said a man called 'Rob' had asked him to go to France to pick up duty free goods. He had driven to the continent with two men but had returned alone to Britain.

But, describing the smuggling operation as "professional", Judge Davies observed: "Lally hired the van in a false name and it was clear that he was not working alone. It was carefully planned and pre-meditated and he lied."