UK and Germany set out joint action for people smuggling law reform – Home Office

‘UK and Germany agree landmark plan to break the business model of people smuggling gangs, with Germany confirming intention for law change.’

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Home Office, 10th December 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Pilot of Channel inflatable loses bid to appeal against manslaughter verdict – The Guardian

‘A man convicted of manslaughter after four people died as he steered a boat across the Channel has lost his attempt to challenge his convictions and sentence.’

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The Guardian, 11th December 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Couple steals £200k from slaves they put to work at McDonald’s restaurant – The Independent

‘A couple were caught running a trafficking scheme that managed six slaves working at a McDonald’s restaurant.’

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The Independent, 1st October 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Modern Slavery Offences: Factors for Practitioners to consider – 25 Bedford Row

Posted September 25th, 2024 in chambers articles, forced labour, news, sentencing, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘Practitioners will be familiar with defending in modern slavery cases where the s45 defence is advanced. This brings with it procedural, evidential and disclosure challenges from the timing of NRM referrals and receipt of conclusive grounds, to admissibility of various expert reports and potential third-party disclosure such as social services records.’

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25 Bedford Row, 5th September 2024

Source: www.25bedfordrow.com

People smuggler jailed for stashing migrants inside motorhome – Home Office

‘A British national who attempted to smuggle 5 migrants, including a 5-year-old child, has been sentenced following a Home Office investigation.’

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Home Office, 6th September 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Hundreds of rogue employers targeted in illegal working crackdown – Home Office

‘Hundreds of rogue employers across the UK have been targeted by the Home Office during a nationwide weeklong intensive operation into illegal working.’

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Home Office, 27th August 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

People smuggling ring jailed for cramming migrants in boot of car – Home Office

Posted August 27th, 2024 in news, sentencing, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘Members of a people-smuggling ring have been jailed yesterday after being caught cramming 2 Afghan migrants into a tiny car boot.’

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Home Office, 23rd August 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Sixfold rise in foreign care workers in UK complaining of exploitation – The Guardian

‘The number of foreign social care workers reporting that they are trapped in exploitative contracts has risen sixfold in the last three years, in the latest evidence of widespread abuse of migrants in the British care system.’

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The Guardian, 19th August 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges have refused to save Shamima Begum. Labour should bring her back to the UK to face justice – The Guardian

‘Stripping her of her citizenship was a political act by a bullying home secretary. Keir Starmer’s government can right that wrong.’

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The Guardian, 8th August 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Slavery victim wins payout as ‘others die waiting’ – BBC News

‘A vulnerable man kept as a slave for almost 26 years has won a “record payout” after his family sued the government for denying him adequate compensation.’

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BBC News, 6th August 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Trafficking victims may be able to recover in UK in Home Office U-turn – The Guardian

‘Thousands of trafficking victims at risk of being forcibly removed from the country will now have their right to recover in the UK from the effects of exploitation considered after the Home Office settled a major case.’

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The Guardian, 28th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trafficking victims being turned down for compensation in ‘horrendous failing’ – The Independent

‘Trafficking victims are being turned down for compensation in a “horrendous and clear failing”, the anti-slavery commissioner has said, after new figures showed how few people can access support.’

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The Independent, 23rd July 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Children missing from Home Office hotels likely to have been trafficked, report finds – The Guardian

‘Scores of asylum-seeking children are still missing from the UK’s Home Office hotels as a new report reveals that many are likely to have been trafficked.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

People smuggler gets nearly a year extra time in jail for failing to payback over £65,000 of criminal profits in the Essex lorry deaths case – Crown Prosecution Service

‘Today (11 July 2024) at Margate Magistrates’ Court, Gheorghe Nica, 46, was ordered to serve a further eleven and half months imprisonment after failing to payback £65,157.65 which he was ordered to pay in a proceeds of crime confiscation hearing. All of the Confiscation Order monies recovered from Nica, which a Judge has determined is his available assets, will be paid by way of compensation to the families of the 39 victims.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 11th July 2024

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Home Secretary launches new Border Security Command – Home Office

‘Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has today set out the first steps to establishing a new UK Border Security Command (BSC).’

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Home Office, 7th July 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

From low-level drug dealer to human trafficker: are modern slavery laws catching the wrong people? – podcast – The Guardian

Posted June 14th, 2024 in forced labour, news, podcasts, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘When I heard that a boy from my primary school had been convicted of trafficking, I had to find out what had happened to make him fall so far.’

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The Guardian, 14th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Fraudster who fled abroad given extra jail time – BBC News

Posted June 4th, 2024 in fraud, fugitive offenders, news, sentencing, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘A fugitive who went on the run while on trial for fraud six years ago has been given additional jail time.’

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BBC News, 3rd June 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child refugees using people smugglers to reach family in UK, report warns – The Guardian

‘Child refugees are using people smugglers to cross the Channel in small boats to reunite with parents and other close relatives because delays in government family reunion processes are leaving them stranded in danger, according to a report.’

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The Guardian, 13th May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hundreds of potentially trafficked children ‘abandoned by Home Office’ – The Guardian

‘Hundreds of children identified as potential victims of trafficking are being abandoned by the Home Office and left vulnerable to exploitation, new data reveals. Released following a freedom of information (FoI) request, figures show that in 2022, 1,871 children identified as possible victims of trafficking or modern slavery dropped off the UK government system conceived to support them once they turned 18.’

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The Guardian, 8th May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rwanda scheme legal challenge: Charity preparing action – BBC News

‘One of the UK’s leading organisations helping victims of torture and trafficking is preparing legal action over the government’s Rwanda plan.’

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BBC News, 4th May 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk