A man and woman have admitted 12 counts of assisting unlawful immigration.

Mary Ann Nemeno, aged 42, and Jupiter Villacillo, aged 52, both of Osborne Grove, Douglas, entered guilty pleas to the offences when they appeared before Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood on Thursday.

Five further counts of the same offence were ordered to lie on file and alternative charges under the Organised International Crime Act 2010 were discharged.

The prosecution also withdrew a charge against the two of participation in a criminal organisation.

Prosecutor James Robinson said the pleas were acceptable to the Crown and it was not considered to be in the public interest to pursue the other counts to trial.

Miss Nemeno and Mr Villacillo admitted acting together to facilitate the commission, or attempted commission, by non-UK nationals of a breach of immigration law, namely by recruiting and arranging for those individuals to enter, arrive in and/or be the Isle of Man by means of fraud or deception.

The offences were committed between June 2022 and October 2023 and involve 12 non-UK nationals who were named in court.

Deputy High Bailiff Ms Braidwood said the offences were not suitable for summary trial and she committed the pair for sentencing at the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

Both defendants were bailed to appear at the higher court on October 30, on the same conditions that they had been granted previously.