LONDON: The UK Home Office and Crown Prosecution Service have refused to issue apologies to a group of asylum seekers who were wrongfully jailed after crossing the English Channel, The Independent has reported.

British judges have so far overturned 12 cases, presenting an obstacle for the Home Office campaign to clamp down on Channel crossings.

The migrants, mostly hailing from Iraq and Iran, were prosecuted for “facilitating illegal immigration” after steering small vessels across the Channel.