Man found guilty of helping ship jumpers

A jury in Napier has found a Vietnamese man guilty on all nine charges of helping fellow Vietnamese "ship jumpers" to illegally stay and work in vineyards and orchards in Nelson and Hawke's Bay.

Thu Huynh had denied the charges which related to nine different fishing boat crewmen who jumped ship at Lyttelton at various times between November 2003 and November 2004.

A trial in the High Court at Napier this week heard the men jumped ship after being forced to work between 18 and 24 hours a day.

They claimed they had been beaten and some were owed months of pay.

Thu was charged after the illegal workers were found in Hawke's Bay.

He allegedly met them at the port and received payment for finding accommodation and work for them.

Some of the men were sent to Hawke's Bay when work ran out in the Nelson area.

Thu was remanded in custody by Judge Tony Adeane and will be sentenced on September 7.

- NZPA