A man was kept in a padlocked shed on a caravan park for 40 years, a court has been told.
Now, one of the men who exploited the worker for so long has face a judge.
Peter Swailes, 56, appeared before Carlisle Crown Court on Friday, February 4.
Swailes, of Cryndlbeck Stables, Low Harker, Carlisle, had previously admitted a charge of conspiring to organise the travel of an individual with a view to exploiting them contrary to Section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
Swailes was arrested by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) in April 2019.
Six months earlier, GLAA investigators were joined by officers from the National Crime Agency and Cumbria Police in executing a search warrant at Hadrian’s Caravan Park near Carlisle.
His father, also Peter Swailes, was arrested on that day and was due to stand trial but died last year, aged 81.
During the course of this operation, officers discovered a small green wooden shed. After they knocked on the door, they were greeted by the victim, who said that he had lived on the site for 40 years.
He told the GLAA that he was used on a daily basis for menial tasks such as cleaning out stables, tarmacking, and working on roofs.
On one occasion, he fell from a roof and sustained serious injuries, including five broken ribs.
The victim added that he built and painted Swailes’ house.
He was paid as little as £10 per day.
The shed itself was unheated and in total darkness. Investigators discovered two heavily soiled quilts and foam seat pads, which served as makeshift mattresses.
A large pool of congealed vomit was soaking into the carpet underneath the bedding and the carpet itself gave off a pungent odour, the court heard.
In sentencing Swailes to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months, Judge Richard Archer took account of his limited guilty plea, on the basis he was unaware of the victim's living conditions and did not work with him on a regular basis.
Swailes was also reported to be in poor physical and mental health.
The victim, who is now in his early 60s, was rescued from the site when the GLAA visited in October 2018. He was given medical support and accepted into the Government’s National Referral Mechanism.
He now lives in supported accommodation outside of Cumbria and has been helped by City Hearts, a charity providing long-term support to survivors of modern slavery.
He said: “I was kept in a padlocked shed on a mattress, unable to leave unless I was told I could.
“I didn’t run away, because I had nowhere else to go.
“I now go on daily walks just because I can. I enjoy long walks to the shops, watching football and have made new friends.”
GLAA senior investigating officer, Martin Plimmer, said: “This has been a truly harrowing and traumatic case. At the GLAA, our aim first and foremost is to work in partnership to protect vulnerable and exploited workers. The priority from the outset was always to rescue this individual and we have succeeded in doing that.
“I want to thank all of my team for their hard work, dedication and professionalism in what have been extremely challenging circumstances.”
Kyle France, an accommodation manager for City Hearts, was one of the first on hand to support the victim when he arrived at one of the charity’s safe houses back in 2018.
He said: “When he arrived, he clearly hadn’t had a wash for a very long time. He needed a doctor. He had some visible injuries. He arrived with just the clothes on his back. He just needed looking after.
“In England, it’s the longest I’ve heard of anyone being kept in modern slavery. Why a shed? What did he do to deserve a shed? The dog’s shed was better looked after. It shows a level of hatred that I just can’t get my head around.”
The victim spent three years at the safe house, where he received practical support including help with obtaining clothes and toiletries, as well as learning basic life skills.
He also received counselling sessions to help him to overcome his trauma.
With the support of Kyle and the City Hearts team, he was assessed by Adult Social Services and diagnosed with additional development needs which meant he was eligible for supported living.
Rob Richardson, head of the NCA’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Unit, said: “This was one of the most complex, challenging and distressing cases our officers have dealt with, involving a highly vulnerable victim who was exploited for decades and forced to live in the most abject conditions."
Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Donnelly, Cumbria Constabulary’s force lead for modern slavery, added: “People may in the past have thought cases such as this don’t happen in somewhere like Cumbria – but this demonstrates this is an issue for this county as well as the rest of the UK.
“Both police and our partners have carried out significant work across Cumbria to raise public awareness of these crimes.
“We work hard to protect vulnerable people, stop any possible exploitation as quickly as possible and to bring anyone found responsible for these crimes to justice.
“Many of these cases are identified through the vigilance of the public and our partners as they become more aware and attuned to identifying victims and offenders alike, so we would urge anyone with information or any concerns to contact us as soon as possible.”
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