Trafficker who kept six men in garage jailed for more than nine years
August 3, 2023
A trafficker who kept six men in inhumane conditions in his garage while taking their wages and controlling them with violence and lies has been jailed for nine-and-a-half years.
Another exploiter has been put behind bars for four years and one month – with both defendants pleading guilty after Justice and Care supported five survivors through the criminal justice process.
The six Polish men were forced to live together with no toilets or electricity in a small room in north London belonging to the main defendant and his wife.
One man was trapped in these circumstances for four-and-a-half years, while the others lived like this for varying shorter lengths of time.
They were found jobs in dairy factories, retail warehouses and waste recycling centres by the husband’s mistress, who worked in HR and recruitment.
The survivors had their IDs taken away and their salaries went directly into the bank account of the husband.
The group was regularly beaten and scared into silence by the defendants, who told them that UK police are violent towards Polish people.
Some of the men were forced into domestic servitude and made to wash the husband and wife’s feet.
But the horrific situation unravelled when one of the survivors who worked at the waste recycling plant bravely spoke out.
Police were contacted and he showed immense courage by giving officers a statement identifying his exploiters and the other survivors. Two other suspects remain on the run in the case.
Over the past two years, five of the six survivors have been supported by Justice and Care Victim Navigators, who work in partnership with the Metropolitan Police.
Alongside their jail sentences, both defendants were given slavery and trafficking prevention orders (STPOs) – which are applied where there is a risk that the defendant may commit another slavery or human trafficking offence and pose a risk of harm to the public in doing so.
The man will live under various STPO conditions for 10 years upon release, while the woman will do so for five years.
