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FOUR MEMBERS OF a Traveller family have been found guilty of forcing homeless men to work in conditions of virtual slavery.
Tommy Connors Snr and his son Patrick Connors, as well as his daughter Josie and her husband James John Connors, were all convicted on charges relating to keeping the men in servitude.
The court heard the victims were beaten and verbally abused as they worked six days a week for almost no pay and very little food, the BBC reports.
They slept in shed and horseboxes in often filthy conditions and were forced to work for the Connors’ block paving business.
When the men were rescued from the Greenacres site in Bedfordshire last year by police many had scars, broken ribs and dog bite wounds, the Telegraph reports.
The judge at Luton Crown Court is due to sentence the four today. Seven members of the family were on trial but the jury failed to reach verdicts on three others, according to the Independent.
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r we allowed to comment on this??????
Er, just because it mentions ‘travellers’ doesn’t mean it’s an automatic lock-out on discussion.
Hear hear, be careful not to ‘tar them all with the same brush’. This is a truly awful story. May justice find them.
Sure you are – we commented on it in September 2011 and again last night. Despicable crimes, good (if somewhat too slow) work by the police.
And these ‘people’ want, no demand equality? They’d be the first to jump up & down if travellers were to be exploited but when they do it themselves… I don’t care what anyone says but others outside this site knew if this & said nothing!
Matt are you saying that because some travellers committed this crime all travellers must be condemned for this crime?
he means; as it is still an ongoing court case, are we allowed to comment on it.
Absolute disgust and disgraceful acts of brutality. Preying on the lowest of society.
It’s sub judice in the UK. The journal is not in the UK, so it can allow comment.
Can’t comment on any John Terry story.
Statement we released last night:
Pavee Point notes the conviction of four people in England, charged with forcing destitute men into servitude and forced labour. We welcome the work done by the police in prosecuting the case, and, as we did in September 2011 when the case emerged, we condemn utterly the activities of those responsible.
Pavee Point is dedicated to the promotion of the Human Rights of all people — Pavee Point unequivocally condemns slavery, exploitation of vulnerable people and forced labour in all their forms, wherever, by whomever perpetrated and whenever they occur. The crimes of which four people have been convicted today are extremely serious — it’s important that justice is done and that nobody should be left in any doubt that this activity was heinous and utterly unacceptable.
We further ask that anybody with any information on mistreatment of vulnerable people, slavery or forced labour to give that information to the relevant authorities — people in Ireland who wish to do this confidentially can contact Garda Confidential by free telephone on 1800 666 111.
Good statement Parvee point. Shocking story. Glad justice had been done and hopefully this will never happen again and if it is going on elsewhere will be brought to light.
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