As the nasty case of modern day slavery in the UK is uncovered, many questions are left unanswered. A campsite at Green Acres near Leighton Buzzard was raided by police on Sunday and terrible modern day slavery was discovered.
How could no-one know what was happening? If reports that people have known this was going on for the last 10 years are true how come it took this long for the authorities to act?
With 24 men, vulnerable adults, rescued from the camp on Sunday, it was by no means a small affair.
How could no-one know what was happening? If reports that people have known this was going on for the last 10 years are true how come it took this long for the authorities to act?
With 24 men, vulnerable adults, rescued from the camp on Sunday, it was by no means a small affair.
Today the 4 people who were subsequently arrested will appear in court. The four have been named as family members Tommy Connors, 30, Patrick Connors, 19, James (Big Jim) Connors, 34, and James (Jimmy) Connors, 23.
They are accused of keeping vulnerable adults as prisoners. Taken or selected from soup kitchens and beenefit office the "slaves" were promised work and more. Instead they faced humiliation and cruelty. Heads were shaved and forced labour followed. Any who tried to escape were beaten. It is thought this had gone on for the past 15 years.
The initial charges relate to four victims. The UK Crown Prosecution Service said, "These charges relate to four victims who allege they have been held against their will and forced to live and work like slaves." Other cases are still under investigation.
A heavily pregnant woman was also arrested but has been released on bail. She is to face further police questioning once her baby has been born.
Some of the victims have chosen to leave the interim medical centre where they were taken. They do not want to be part of the police investigation. The "slaves" were aged from 17 to 50 and from many nationalities Britons, Poles, Latvian and Romanian.
The charges against the four men are "conspiring to holding a person in servitude and requiring them to perform forced labour". That does not really describe the true horror or nastiness of these crimes.
They are accused of keeping vulnerable adults as prisoners. Taken or selected from soup kitchens and beenefit office the "slaves" were promised work and more. Instead they faced humiliation and cruelty. Heads were shaved and forced labour followed. Any who tried to escape were beaten. It is thought this had gone on for the past 15 years.
The initial charges relate to four victims. The UK Crown Prosecution Service said, "These charges relate to four victims who allege they have been held against their will and forced to live and work like slaves." Other cases are still under investigation.
A heavily pregnant woman was also arrested but has been released on bail. She is to face further police questioning once her baby has been born.
Some of the victims have chosen to leave the interim medical centre where they were taken. They do not want to be part of the police investigation. The "slaves" were aged from 17 to 50 and from many nationalities Britons, Poles, Latvian and Romanian.
The charges against the four men are "conspiring to holding a person in servitude and requiring them to perform forced labour". That does not really describe the true horror or nastiness of these crimes.
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