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| Family who exploited homeless men for forced labour face jail | Family who exploited homeless men for forced labour face jail |
| (4 months later) | |
| Five members of a wealthy Traveller family who exploited vulnerable homeless drifters and addicts as a private workforce and kept them in squalid conditions face jail after being convicted of forcing the men to perform forced or compulsory labour. | Five members of a wealthy Traveller family who exploited vulnerable homeless drifters and addicts as a private workforce and kept them in squalid conditions face jail after being convicted of forcing the men to perform forced or compulsory labour. |
| There were chaotic scenes as a jury at Bristol crown court returned unanimous guilty verdicts on William Connors, 52, his wife, Mary, 48, their sons John, 29, and James, 20, and son-in-law Miles Connors, 24, following a three-month trial. | There were chaotic scenes as a jury at Bristol crown court returned unanimous guilty verdicts on William Connors, 52, his wife, Mary, 48, their sons John, 29, and James, 20, and son-in-law Miles Connors, 24, following a three-month trial. |
| Security officers and police were forced to clear the court as relatives jumped to their feet and shouted from the public gallery and John Connors's wife tried to clamber into the dock, where all the defendants except William Connors were in tears. Mary Connors screamed uncontrollably: "Oh daddy, daddy, why are you doing this to me? I've never done no wrong to anyone in my whole life." | Security officers and police were forced to clear the court as relatives jumped to their feet and shouted from the public gallery and John Connors's wife tried to clamber into the dock, where all the defendants except William Connors were in tears. Mary Connors screamed uncontrollably: "Oh daddy, daddy, why are you doing this to me? I've never done no wrong to anyone in my whole life." |
| The trial heard that the family would pick up the men – often homeless or addicts – to work for them as labourers on their paving and patio businesses. | The trial heard that the family would pick up the men – often homeless or addicts – to work for them as labourers on their paving and patio businesses. |
| The victims lived in appalling conditions in caravans on Travellers' sites as they moved around the country. Some were ordered to perform humiliating tasks, such as emptying slop buckets used by their bosses. Controlled with violence and kept half starved, some were beaten, hit with broom handles, belts, a rake and shovel and punched and kicked by the Connors. | The victims lived in appalling conditions in caravans on Travellers' sites as they moved around the country. Some were ordered to perform humiliating tasks, such as emptying slop buckets used by their bosses. Controlled with violence and kept half starved, some were beaten, hit with broom handles, belts, a rake and shovel and punched and kicked by the Connors. |
| Unable to leave because of their personal circumstances, some had worked for the family for nearly two decades. | Unable to leave because of their personal circumstances, some had worked for the family for nearly two decades. |
| By contrast, the Connors lived in brand new caravans with top-of-the-range kitchens. William and Mary, known as Billy and Brida, enjoyed luxurious holidays including a stay in Dubai and a Caribbean cruise on the Cunard flagship liner Queen Mary 2. There were breaks in Tenerife and Cancún in Mexico. | By contrast, the Connors lived in brand new caravans with top-of-the-range kitchens. William and Mary, known as Billy and Brida, enjoyed luxurious holidays including a stay in Dubai and a Caribbean cruise on the Cunard flagship liner Queen Mary 2. There were breaks in Tenerife and Cancún in Mexico. |
| The family drove expensive cars, including a Rolls-Royce and silver A-Class Mercedes saloon, and had a property portfolio worth millions of pounds, including several houses, one with a hot tub, and two caravan parks. They had more than £500,000 between then in bank accounts. | The family drove expensive cars, including a Rolls-Royce and silver A-Class Mercedes saloon, and had a property portfolio worth millions of pounds, including several houses, one with a hot tub, and two caravan parks. They had more than £500,000 between then in bank accounts. |
| They instilled fear in the men by making them strip for a "hosing down session" with freezing water, or physically assaulting them in front of the others. | They instilled fear in the men by making them strip for a "hosing down session" with freezing water, or physically assaulting them in front of the others. |
| "It was a clear and unequivocal demonstration of control and dominance, of one set, the family, over another. If you compare and contrast the lifestyles of the workers and bosses it is like comparing a Maserati versus a clapped out Zephyr," prosecutor Christopher Quinlan, QC, had told jurors. | "It was a clear and unequivocal demonstration of control and dominance, of one set, the family, over another. If you compare and contrast the lifestyles of the workers and bosses it is like comparing a Maserati versus a clapped out Zephyr," prosecutor Christopher Quinlan, QC, had told jurors. |
| The men were paid as little as £5 a day for a day's hard labour on jobs that would earn the family several thousand pounds. They were given so little food that they scavenged from supermarket dustbins, salvaged clothing from bins, and used a bucket or woodland as a toilet. | The men were paid as little as £5 a day for a day's hard labour on jobs that would earn the family several thousand pounds. They were given so little food that they scavenged from supermarket dustbins, salvaged clothing from bins, and used a bucket or woodland as a toilet. |
| Police rescued 19 men after covert surveillance during which they recorded evidence of the men being assaulted. | Police rescued 19 men after covert surveillance during which they recorded evidence of the men being assaulted. |
| Some workers did leave, but the family rounded them up again, and because of their personal circumstances they had little option but to stay with the Connors. The family took their identity documents from the men. | Some workers did leave, but the family rounded them up again, and because of their personal circumstances they had little option but to stay with the Connors. The family took their identity documents from the men. |
| William Connors, married to Mary for more than 30 years in a union that produced four daughters and two sons, was the "drill sergeant, big boss or the daddy". His wife was the "banker" collecting the money from the workers' state benefits. | William Connors, married to Mary for more than 30 years in a union that produced four daughters and two sons, was the "drill sergeant, big boss or the daddy". His wife was the "banker" collecting the money from the workers' state benefits. |
| They travelled across the country offering block paving and tarmac services, using a string of different company names, including Pro Groundworks Drives & Patios, Designer Drives & Patios, JF Kennedy, Oxfordshire Drives & Patios, Sofisicated Drives (sic) and Quality Driveways. | They travelled across the country offering block paving and tarmac services, using a string of different company names, including Pro Groundworks Drives & Patios, Designer Drives & Patios, JF Kennedy, Oxfordshire Drives & Patios, Sofisicated Drives (sic) and Quality Driveways. |
| Police began investigating the family following the discovery of the body of worker Christopher Nicholls, 40. He had been involved in a serious road accident in October 2004 outside one of the caravan parks owned by the family, and his decomposed body was discovered in a garden shed near to the site four years later in May 2008. An unnamed worker contacted Gloucestershire police in 2009 to report the appalling conditions they were being kept in. | Police began investigating the family following the discovery of the body of worker Christopher Nicholls, 40. He had been involved in a serious road accident in October 2004 outside one of the caravan parks owned by the family, and his decomposed body was discovered in a garden shed near to the site four years later in May 2008. An unnamed worker contacted Gloucestershire police in 2009 to report the appalling conditions they were being kept in. |
| Detective Chief Inspector Dave Sellwood, of Gloucestershire police, said: "I've seen an awful lot in my career, but I have never seen one group of human beings treat another group so badly for so long just for their financial benefit." The workers' conditions shocked detectives. | Detective Chief Inspector Dave Sellwood, of Gloucestershire police, said: "I've seen an awful lot in my career, but I have never seen one group of human beings treat another group so badly for so long just for their financial benefit." The workers' conditions shocked detectives. |
| Sellwood said police caught two assaults on video. "One was on a 17-year-old man with learning difficulties," he said, "the other an older gentleman that had been with them for about 11 years. | Sellwood said police caught two assaults on video. "One was on a 17-year-old man with learning difficulties," he said, "the other an older gentleman that had been with them for about 11 years. |
| "He is currently incapable of living alone and is in supported accommodation and will be for the rest of his life. | "He is currently incapable of living alone and is in supported accommodation and will be for the rest of his life. |
| "I think that is an example of the Connors' treatment of very vulnerable men." | "I think that is an example of the Connors' treatment of very vulnerable men." |
| Police now plan to launch an investigation into the Connors' wealth and will seek to use Proceeds of Crime Act legislation to seize their assets. | Police now plan to launch an investigation into the Connors' wealth and will seek to use Proceeds of Crime Act legislation to seize their assets. |
| The prosecution was brought under Section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years. | The prosecution was brought under Section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years. |
| Judge Michael Longman adjourned the case until next Tuesday when he will hear mitigation and then pass sentence. | Judge Michael Longman adjourned the case until next Tuesday when he will hear mitigation and then pass sentence. |
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