Bristol couple promised people 'new life' in UK then kept them as slaves

A couple who promised people a new life in the UK but kept them as modern slaves have been convicted of human trafficking offences.

Maros Tancos, 45, and Joanna Gomulska, 46, kept five modern slaves at a house in Bristol, forcing them to work for their car wash business.

Victims described sleeping on dirty mattresses, with 10 people living in the three-bedroom home and sharing one bathroom.

Tancos recruited vulnerable people from Slovakia, often targeting those who were often raised in orphanages or living in camps.

He promised them transport to the UK, somewhere to live and food.

The victims were told they would get half of their wages each month, while the other half would be kept for rent and board.

In reality, the couple took away their victims' passports, phones and bank cards and did not give them any money - effectively trapping them. The couple would also lock their victims' inside the house while they were out.

They also used their victims' names to apply for credit cards and loans - with almost £300,000 transferred from their accounts between 2010 and 2017.

The couple spent their victims' money on cars, or gambled it away.

In statements, victims described their time with the defendants as ‘catastrophic’ and said they were humiliated, hit and punished by Tancos.

Another described returning to Slovakia when she fell pregnant, with her child being born malnourished and suffering epileptic fits because she had no money to bring back from the UK for food.

Tancos and Gomulska made their victims work under any circumstances. One described an occasion where he broke his arm and had it set in a cast at hospital. They still made him continue to work in the car wash.

The couple were arrested on suspicion of modern slavery and human trafficking offences in July 2017.

Both denied their involvement but following a trial spanning almost three months, including evidence from 15 victims, they were convicted by a jury today (Monday 4 April) at Bristol Crown Court.

National Crime Agency branch commander Colin Williams said the couple treated their victims "like possessions", exploiting their hope of a better life to keep them in a "never-ending cycle of abuse".

He added: "They were prisoners. The experiences they shared in court showed how mentally broken the couple left them.

“These people came from impoverished backgrounds to the UK with optimism, but instead had their vulnerability taken advantage of. While they suffered, Tancos and Gomulska spent their victims’ wages on gambling and cars.

“The support from our international partners in Slovakia was pivotal in being able to trace victims who had returned home and meant they could give evidence via video links detailing the couple’s abhorrent behaviour dating back to 2008.

“Tackling human trafficking is one of our highest priorities, and we will continue to work with partners to pursue offenders and protect victims.”

Tancos was convicted of: trafficking of another person into the UK for labour exploitation, two counts of conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK for labour exploitation, conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of persons into the UK with a view to exploitation, conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for the purpose of labour exploitation, conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for labour exploitation. conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of persons within the UK with a view to exploitation, two counts of conspiracy to require another to perform forced or compulsory labour and conspiracy to acquire criminal property.Gomulksa was convicted of: two counts of conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK for labour exploitation, conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of persons into the UK with a view to exploitation, conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for the purpose of labour exploitation, conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for the purpose of labour exploitation, conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of persons within the UK with a view to exploitation, two counts of conspiracy to require another to perform forced or compulsory labour and conspiracy to acquire criminal property