Northern Irish lorry driver Maurice Robinson, who is accused over the deaths of 39 migrants, has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to plotting to assist illegal immigration.
Robinson, 25, who was allegedly part of a global smuggling ring, appeared at the Old Bailey in central London via video link from custody.
Robinson, who is known as Mo, was charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration between December 1, 2018 and October 24, 2019.
The bodies of eight females and 31 males were discovered in the trailer attached to his Scania cab in an industrial park in Grays, Essex in the early hours of October 23.
They were found shortly after the container arrived in Purfleet, Essex, on a ferry from Zeebrugge, Belgium.
The victims were later identified as coming from various provinces of Vietnam with the youngest being two boys aged 15.
Another suspect due in court
Robinson, of Craigavon, Co Armagh in Northern Ireland, is also charged with acquiring criminal property and one count of concealing criminal property.
Extradition proceedings are underway in Ireland to bring Eamonn Harrison, 22, to the UK.
Harrison, of Mayobridge, Co Down in Northern Ireland, appeared in court in Dublin last Thursday after he was arrested on a European arrest warrant.
Essex Police have also urged brothers Ronan Hughes, 40, and Christopher Hughes, 34, to hand themselves in.
The siblings, who are from Co Armagh and have links to Co Monaghan in Ireland, are wanted on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking.
Three other people arrested - a 38-year-old man, a 38-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man - have all been released on bail.
