The crew of a yacht which was wrecked off Teignmouth during a people smuggling trip have pleaded guilty to conspiring to break immigration laws.

The 27-foot long sloop ran aground off Horse Cove, Teignmouth, on December 14 last year and two crew and eight Albanians were arrested after being rescued.

An Albanian man who helped to organise the smuggling operation was arrested on land shortly afterwards.

Faye Miles, aged 38, of no fixed address, Plymouth, admitted conspiracy to contravene the 1971 Immigration Act between March and December 2020.

James Wisbey, aged 54, of West Hoe, Plymouth; and Indrit Barhani, aged 32, of no fixed address, have both admitted the same offence at earlier hearings.

At Exeter Crown Court Judge Timothy Rose adjourned the sentence on all three defendants until July 6 but said it may be delayed if there are disputes over basis of plea documents which are due to be submitted.

He told Miles she is likely to receive a sentence of immediate custody.

Phone downloads suggest one or more of the defendants were involved in previous people-smuggling expeditions before the one on December 14.

Devon and Cornwall Police said at the time of the incident: ‘The arrests by officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, supported by Border Force, the National Crime Agency, Devon and Cornwall Police, Immigration Enforcement and HM Coastguard, are part of an ongoing investigation into people smuggling.’