Judge sends 'cold-hearted exploiters' to prison

Two members of a travelling family were branded violent, cold-hearted exploiters by a judge as they were sentenced to 11 and four years in prison for forcing vulnerable men to work for them.

James John Connors was sentenced to seven years for enforcing servitude and forced labour on one man, and four years for the same offences on a second man. Both sentences to run consecutively. He also received three years for assault, the sentence to run concurrently.

Josie Connors was given two-and-a-half years for enforcing servitude and forced labour and one-and-a half years for the same offences on another man to run consecutively.

In sentencing James John Connors and Josie Connors Judge Michael Kay said:

"This was not a case about racism or a way of life, this was a case about a human being's ability to be inhumane to another human being. For the reason you showed complete disregard for a fellow human being is shocking.

He called them both violent, cold-hearted exploiters.