Ronan Hughes (Photo: Metro)

Ronan Hughes became the second man to plead guilty over the case, which shocked the UK and Vietnam late last year.

He was extradited to the UK from Ireland and appeared before Southend Magistrates’ Court in the east of London by video-link from a police station on June 24 (local time).

On April 8, 25-year-old lorry driver Maurice Robinson from Craigavon in Northern Ireland pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter at the Old Bailey.

He had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property at the same court on November 25 last year.

Meanwhile, another suspect, Eamonn Harrison, pleaded not guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter.

Last October, the bodies of the Vietnamese nationals were discovered by emergency services on the back of the refrigerated lorry at an industrial estate in Essex.

Among the 39 dead were ten teenagers, including two 15-year-old boys./.VNA