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| Forced work trial: Darrell Simester says men 'looked after me' | Forced work trial: Darrell Simester says men 'looked after me' |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| A vulnerable man allegedly forced to work for 13 years at a Newport farm by a father and son has told a jury he was looked after by them. | A vulnerable man allegedly forced to work for 13 years at a Newport farm by a father and son has told a jury he was looked after by them. |
| Darrell Simester agreed Daniel Doran, 67, and son David Daniel Doran, 42, looked after him, under cross examination at Cardiff Crown Court. | Darrell Simester agreed Daniel Doran, 67, and son David Daniel Doran, 42, looked after him, under cross examination at Cardiff Crown Court. |
| When asked by a policeman whether he had been made to live at Cariad Farm he replied: "No, they just look after me". | When asked by a policeman whether he had been made to live at Cariad Farm he replied: "No, they just look after me". |
| The two men deny requiring him to perform forced or compulsory labour. | The two men deny requiring him to perform forced or compulsory labour. |
| The trial has heard homeless Mr Simester, 44, was picked up on a dual carriageway by the Doran family and taken to Cariad Farm at Peterstone. | The trial has heard homeless Mr Simester, 44, was picked up on a dual carriageway by the Doran family and taken to Cariad Farm at Peterstone. |
| It is alleged he was "terrified," lived in a caravan and washed in a horse trough while working unpaid for 13 years. | It is alleged he was "terrified," lived in a caravan and washed in a horse trough while working unpaid for 13 years. |
| Mr Simester, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, had told the jury he carried on working the day after he fractured his hip. | Mr Simester, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, had told the jury he carried on working the day after he fractured his hip. |
| 'Left to rot' | 'Left to rot' |
| Kevin Molloy, defending Daniel Doran, asked Mr Simester if he remembered a police officer taking him to one side on the day he left the farm. | |
| He told the court Mr Simester denied anyone had threatened or assaulted him when it was put to him by police. | He told the court Mr Simester denied anyone had threatened or assaulted him when it was put to him by police. |
| Mr Molloy said: "The officer said: 'Something isn't right , you're safe now, you can tell me what's going on. Have you been forced to live here?' | Mr Molloy said: "The officer said: 'Something isn't right , you're safe now, you can tell me what's going on. Have you been forced to live here?' |
| "You replied: 'No, they just look after me.' | "You replied: 'No, they just look after me.' |
| "Was that because the Dorans did look after you?" | "Was that because the Dorans did look after you?" |
| Mr Simester agreed: "Yep". | Mr Simester agreed: "Yep". |
| Mr Molloy questioned Mr Simester about him writing Christmas cards for the Dorans, who could not read or write, but not sending one to his own family. | Mr Molloy questioned Mr Simester about him writing Christmas cards for the Dorans, who could not read or write, but not sending one to his own family. |
| He asked him: "You didn't think to send your parents a card too?" | He asked him: "You didn't think to send your parents a card too?" |
| Mr Simester replied: "No. I didn't know their address." | Mr Simester replied: "No. I didn't know their address." |
| Mr Molloy asked: "When you asked the police to take you home, how could they when you didn't know their address? | Mr Molloy asked: "When you asked the police to take you home, how could they when you didn't know their address? |
| "You didn't have your family phone number because you'd forgotten it?" Mr Simester replied: "Yes." | "You didn't have your family phone number because you'd forgotten it?" Mr Simester replied: "Yes." |
| Mr Molloy asked: "And you didn't know where your family lived because you'd forgotten it?" | Mr Molloy asked: "And you didn't know where your family lived because you'd forgotten it?" |
| Mr Simester replied: "That's right." | Mr Simester replied: "That's right." |
| Mr Molloy said: "I put it to you you're telling lies." | |
| 'Kettle' | 'Kettle' |
| Mr Molloy replied: "No." | Mr Molloy replied: "No." |
| The cross-examination included Mr Molloy asking Mr Simester about an interview he gave to the press after he was taken from Cariad Farm. | The cross-examination included Mr Molloy asking Mr Simester about an interview he gave to the press after he was taken from Cariad Farm. |
| Mr Simester agreed with the proposition that Mr Doran's daughters, Kathleen and Ali, cooked for him and cleaned his clothes. | Mr Simester agreed with the proposition that Mr Doran's daughters, Kathleen and Ali, cooked for him and cleaned his clothes. |
| Mr Simester said: "It wasn't a case of the girls ignoring you. If I needed food or anything, Ali would be doing that on a regular basis. | Mr Simester said: "It wasn't a case of the girls ignoring you. If I needed food or anything, Ali would be doing that on a regular basis. |
| Mr Molloy asked: "So she didn't neglect you? There was a kettle in the shed and you were free to make tea when you wanted?" | Mr Molloy asked: "So she didn't neglect you? There was a kettle in the shed and you were free to make tea when you wanted?" |
| Mr Simester replied: "Yeah." | Mr Simester replied: "Yeah." |
| 'Pressure' | 'Pressure' |
| Mr Molloy said: "The reporter suggests you were compelled to stay. Did you feel pressure to agree with him?" | Mr Molloy said: "The reporter suggests you were compelled to stay. Did you feel pressure to agree with him?" |
| Mr Molloy replied: "That's right, yeah." | Mr Molloy replied: "That's right, yeah." |
| The charges against the father and son cover a period between 2010 and 2013. | The charges against the father and son cover a period between 2010 and 2013. |
| However, the court has heard Mr Simester had been missing for 13 years, living on the Dorans' farm. | However, the court has heard Mr Simester had been missing for 13 years, living on the Dorans' farm. |
| When Mr Simester was eventually tracked down by his worried family in 2013 he was found living in a caravan, which had been described by a police officer as "left to rot" and "unfit for human habitation". | When Mr Simester was eventually tracked down by his worried family in 2013 he was found living in a caravan, which had been described by a police officer as "left to rot" and "unfit for human habitation". |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |