Chinese gangmaster found guilty of manslaughter
Driven by greed, Lin Liang Ren, 29, sent the Chinese cocklers to their deaths on the night of February 5, 2004.
With his girlfriend, he then tried to cover up his role, trying to blame one of the dead cocklers for the tragedy.
But the 10-woman, two-man jury, who heard tape recordings of the desperate cocklers, who used their mobiles to try and call for help as they drowned, returned the guilty verdicts at the end of a seven-month trial at Preston Crown Court.
Mr Lin was the mastermind behind a massive operation which saw illegal immigrants scour beaches for the lucrative cockle harvest.
The prosecution proved it was his criminal negligence which cost cocklers their lives.
Although police believe 23 Chinese people perished on the beach, only 21 bodies were recovered.
Mr Lin, of Liverpool, denied he was the group's gangmaster.
He was also found guilty of facilitation helping people breach immigration law.
His girlfriend, Zhao Xiao Qing, 21, of Liverpool, was also convicted of facilitation along with his cousin Lin Mu Yong, 31, from Liverpool.
Both were also found guilty of three charges of perverting the course of justice.
But father and son businessmen David Anthony Eden Snr and David Anthony Eden Jnr were cleared of breaching immigration law by employing illegal immigrants in connection with the tragedy.
The verdicts were read out to a hushed courtroom, every seat in the public gallery filled by journalists.
The five defendants were allowed to remain seated as the verdicts were read out by the foreman of the jury.
Mr Lin, sitting with his head bowed and listening to a translation of the proceedings on headphones, showed no emotion as he was found guilty.
