MP: 'Do not punish victims for laws broken when slaves'

The Government's "poverty tzar" Frank Field wants to put victim support at the centre of the Coalitions proposals to tackle human trafficking.

Labour MP Frank Field recommended giving victims of slavery support rather than a conviction for crimes committed under duress.

He also wanted to see protections and entitlements for victims enshrined in law and force the police and Crown Prosecution Service to investigate further if there is evidence to suggest the defendant is a victim of trafficking.

Mr Field said: "It is indisputable that victims of modern slavery suffer from an evil with few equivalents. They are subject to horrors that, thankfully, most people never think about, let alone face."

Mr Field argued that increasing the number of human trafficking prosecutions would only happen if victims felt safer to come forward and give evidence.

His comments come as the home secretary publishes the draft Modern Day Slavery Bill later today.