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| Traveller family jailed over forced labour | Traveller family jailed over forced labour |
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| Five members of a Traveller family found guilty of forcing vulnerable men to perform forced or compulsory labour have been jailed. | Five members of a Traveller family found guilty of forcing vulnerable men to perform forced or compulsory labour have been jailed. |
| William Connors, 52, lived a luxurious lifestyle by exploiting men who were often homeless drifters or addicts, was jailed for six-and-a-half years. His wife, Mary, 48, was sentenced to two years and three months. | William Connors, 52, lived a luxurious lifestyle by exploiting men who were often homeless drifters or addicts, was jailed for six-and-a-half years. His wife, Mary, 48, was sentenced to two years and three months. |
| The couple's son, John, 29, received a four-year sentence, and his brother James, 20, was given three years' detention in a young offender institution. Son-in-law Miles Connors, 24, received a three-year prison sentence. | The couple's son, John, 29, received a four-year sentence, and his brother James, 20, was given three years' detention in a young offender institution. Son-in-law Miles Connors, 24, received a three-year prison sentence. |
| All were convicted last week at Bristol crown court of conspiracy to require a person to perform forced or compulsory labour between April 2010 and March 2011 following a three-month trial. | All were convicted last week at Bristol crown court of conspiracy to require a person to perform forced or compulsory labour between April 2010 and March 2011 following a three-month trial. |
| 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. |
| The trial had heard the Connors enjoyed expensive holidays, drove high-value cars, had an extensive property portfolio worth millions and more than £500,000 in bank accounts. By contrast, the men they forced to work for them were kept in squalid caravans as they moved around the country working in the family's paving and patio businesses. | The trial had heard the Connors enjoyed expensive holidays, drove high-value cars, had an extensive property portfolio worth millions and more than £500,000 in bank accounts. By contrast, the men they forced to work for them were kept in squalid caravans as they moved around the country working in the family's paving and patio businesses. |
| Many were beaten, hit with broom handles, belts, a rake and shovel, and given so little food they were forced to scavenge in supermarket rubbish bins. They were paid as little as £5 a day for labouring on jobs that would earn the family several thousands of pounds, and some were forced to perform demeaning tasks such as emptying slop buckets for their employers. | Many were beaten, hit with broom handles, belts, a rake and shovel, and given so little food they were forced to scavenge in supermarket rubbish bins. They were paid as little as £5 a day for labouring on jobs that would earn the family several thousands of pounds, and some were forced to perform demeaning tasks such as emptying slop buckets for their employers. |
| Some of the men, who because of their personal circumstances found it impossible to leave, had worked for the family for two decades. | Some of the men, who because of their personal circumstances found it impossible to leave, had worked for the family for two decades. |
| Passing sentence, Judge Longman said: "What each of the workers had in common was that, when they first met the Connors, they were unemployed and addicted to alcohol. Most were homeless, relying on hostels or night shelters at best for their accommodation. | Passing sentence, Judge Longman said: "What each of the workers had in common was that, when they first met the Connors, they were unemployed and addicted to alcohol. Most were homeless, relying on hostels or night shelters at best for their accommodation. |
| "Some suffered from mental health difficulties. All were vulnerable in some way and it was this vulnerability which was exploited by the defendants for their own commercial gain". | "Some suffered from mental health difficulties. All were vulnerable in some way and it was this vulnerability which was exploited by the defendants for their own commercial gain". |
| The judge described the workers as possessing "outstanding qualities of resilience, basic decency and loyalty", who worked for "a pittance" after being promised a regular income when they were picked up by the Connors. | The judge described the workers as possessing "outstanding qualities of resilience, basic decency and loyalty", who worked for "a pittance" after being promised a regular income when they were picked up by the Connors. |
| "Although some workers spoke of their bosses as friends, the status of the workers as compared to the bosses was so inferior as to render the relationship between them unrecognisable as friendship by normal standards." | "Although some workers spoke of their bosses as friends, the status of the workers as compared to the bosses was so inferior as to render the relationship between them unrecognisable as friendship by normal standards." |
| The evidence "did not suggest that violence was regularly used against workers", but when it was it "served to ensure that the workers knew there was a line not to be crossed". | The evidence "did not suggest that violence was regularly used against workers", but when it was it "served to ensure that the workers knew there was a line not to be crossed". |
| Some workers considered themselves better off than if they were on the streets, said Judge Longman. "But the indignity of unemployment was replaced by the degradation that accompanied their inferior status and the freedoms and independence that usually accompany employment were largely absent," he said. | Some workers considered themselves better off than if they were on the streets, said Judge Longman. "But the indignity of unemployment was replaced by the degradation that accompanied their inferior status and the freedoms and independence that usually accompany employment were largely absent," he said. |
| The judge said the sentenced required a "deterrent element to discourage others". | The judge said the sentenced required a "deterrent element to discourage others". |
| Of William Connors, the judge said that over the years, such exploitation had "brought you rich financial rewards" and that he had influenced the other defendants "and bought up your sons to behave in a similar way". It was plain James Connors "was heavily influenced" by his father, but was "party to the conspiracy". John Connors also inherited the lifestyle but, the judge said: "It affords you no excuse for your behaviour or your participation in this conspiracy, and it is a way of life you pursued through your adult years". Miles Connors, he said, now operated a legitimate business. | Of William Connors, the judge said that over the years, such exploitation had "brought you rich financial rewards" and that he had influenced the other defendants "and bought up your sons to behave in a similar way". It was plain James Connors "was heavily influenced" by his father, but was "party to the conspiracy". John Connors also inherited the lifestyle but, the judge said: "It affords you no excuse for your behaviour or your participation in this conspiracy, and it is a way of life you pursued through your adult years". Miles Connors, he said, now operated a legitimate business. |
| Addressing Mary Connors, who is likely to be released immediately owing to time served on remand, he said she was "content to benefit materially from the way of life provided for you by your husband, who was a boss, and whose activities I am satisfied you clearly understood". | Addressing Mary Connors, who is likely to be released immediately owing to time served on remand, he said she was "content to benefit materially from the way of life provided for you by your husband, who was a boss, and whose activities I am satisfied you clearly understood". |
| Outside court, detective chief inspector Dave Sellwood, who led the police investigation, said: "William Connors is a very greedy and arrogant man. This was a commercial enterprise which was all about making him money and affording him a luxurious lifestyle. | Outside court, detective chief inspector Dave Sellwood, who led the police investigation, said: "William Connors is a very greedy and arrogant man. This was a commercial enterprise which was all about making him money and affording him a luxurious lifestyle. |
| "He wasn't a drug dealer or a thief but his means of earning a fortune was by exploiting really, really vulnerable people – people at the bottom of society with no hope. He gave them false hope and exploited them for years". | "He wasn't a drug dealer or a thief but his means of earning a fortune was by exploiting really, really vulnerable people – people at the bottom of society with no hope. He gave them false hope and exploited them for years". |
| Mary Connors, he said "benefited from the work they did around the sites – from painting fences to doing her ironing and washing and emptying her slop bucket – and she also benefited from stealing their state benefits. | Mary Connors, he said "benefited from the work they did around the sites – from painting fences to doing her ironing and washing and emptying her slop bucket – and she also benefited from stealing their state benefits. |
| "She's had around £100,000 in state benefits from just four of these workers." | "She's had around £100,000 in state benefits from just four of these workers." |
| Sellwood said many of the victims were delighted with the guilty verdicts and were moving on with their lives. The intention now was to pursue the Connors through Proceeds of Crime Act legislation. | Sellwood said many of the victims were delighted with the guilty verdicts and were moving on with their lives. The intention now was to pursue the Connors through Proceeds of Crime Act legislation. |
| Police began investigating the Connors following the discovery of the body of a worker, Christopher Nicholls, 40, in 2008. | Police began investigating the Connors following the discovery of the body of a worker, Christopher Nicholls, 40, in 2008. |
| The Connors were placed under covert surveillance in August 2010 and police recorded evidence of men being assaulted. | The Connors were placed under covert surveillance in August 2010 and police recorded evidence of men being assaulted. |
| The enterprise came to an end when police raided sites in Staverton, Enderby in Leicestershire and Mansfield in Nottinghamshire in March 2011. | The enterprise came to an end when police raided sites in Staverton, Enderby in Leicestershire and Mansfield in Nottinghamshire in March 2011. |
| The Connors maintained the men were "free agents" able to come and go as they please. William and Mary, known as Billy and Brida, suggested they acted as "good Samaritans" by providing them with food, work and accommodation. | The Connors maintained the men were "free agents" able to come and go as they please. William and Mary, known as Billy and Brida, suggested they acted as "good Samaritans" by providing them with food, work and accommodation. |
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