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| Sports Direct modern slavery brothers jailed | Sports Direct modern slavery brothers jailed |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two brothers who trafficked 18 people from Poland to the UK and conned and threatened them have been jailed. | Two brothers who trafficked 18 people from Poland to the UK and conned and threatened them have been jailed. |
| Erwin and Krystian Markowski, both from Nottingham, recruited the vulnerable men to work at the Sports Direct warehouse in Shirebrook, Derbyshire. | Erwin and Krystian Markowski, both from Nottingham, recruited the vulnerable men to work at the Sports Direct warehouse in Shirebrook, Derbyshire. |
| The pair controlled their victims' bank accounts and kept most of their wages, totalling £35,000, between 2015 and 2016, Nottingham Crown Court heard. | The pair controlled their victims' bank accounts and kept most of their wages, totalling £35,000, between 2015 and 2016, Nottingham Crown Court heard. |
| They have both been sentenced to six years in prison for modern slavery. | They have both been sentenced to six years in prison for modern slavery. |
| Erwin, 38, of Cedar Road, and Krystian, 35, of Harcourt Road, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to arrange travel with a view to exploitation and fraud by false representation. | Erwin, 38, of Cedar Road, and Krystian, 35, of Harcourt Road, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to arrange travel with a view to exploitation and fraud by false representation. |
| They were given a two-and-a-half year sentence for fraud to run at the same time as the six years. | They were given a two-and-a-half year sentence for fraud to run at the same time as the six years. |
| Updates on this story and more from Nottinghamshire | Updates on this story and more from Nottinghamshire |
| The Markowskis paid for the Polish men to travel to the UK, but when they arrived their passports were taken and they were "totally isolated". | |
| Some victims spoke of being treated "like a piece of rubbish" and said the brothers "destroyed their lives". | Some victims spoke of being treated "like a piece of rubbish" and said the brothers "destroyed their lives". |
| One man was promised a flat but received a urine soaked mattress. | One man was promised a flat but received a urine soaked mattress. |
| The case came to light when one of the victims reported his ordeal to police in January 2016. | The case came to light when one of the victims reported his ordeal to police in January 2016. |
| During the sentencing, Judge Stephen Coupland, said it was a "planned and systematic" scheme of "human trafficking". | During the sentencing, Judge Stephen Coupland, said it was a "planned and systematic" scheme of "human trafficking". |
| He said: "You employed a spotter in Poland to identify people who were vulnerable. Your intention, by selecting vulnerable people, was to make it easier to control them over here. | He said: "You employed a spotter in Poland to identify people who were vulnerable. Your intention, by selecting vulnerable people, was to make it easier to control them over here. |
| "You controlled their ability to contact others by using physical and verbal threats, using actual violence on occasions." | "You controlled their ability to contact others by using physical and verbal threats, using actual violence on occasions." |
| The prosecution accepted it was not "forced labour" but said the workers had "very little choice". | The prosecution accepted it was not "forced labour" but said the workers had "very little choice". |
| Chief crown prosecutor Janine Smith said: "The Markowskis preyed on vulnerable people in Poland and promised them accommodation and a tempting wage in order to lure them to the UK. | |
| "The reality upon arrival was a life of squalid living conditions and near total control by the defendants." | "The reality upon arrival was a life of squalid living conditions and near total control by the defendants." |
| Det Con Sarah Fearn, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "The Markowski brothers financially benefited from the hard work of others and in return the victims were left feeling used, distressed and manipulated." | Det Con Sarah Fearn, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "The Markowski brothers financially benefited from the hard work of others and in return the victims were left feeling used, distressed and manipulated." |
| In a statement, Sports Direct said it welcomed the conviction and "will not tolerate these kinds of behaviour". | In a statement, Sports Direct said it welcomed the conviction and "will not tolerate these kinds of behaviour". |