VIDEO: Two men pleaded guilty today to forcing vulnerable people to work for them for next to nothing. John and William Connors were arrested after police officers raided a travellers' site in Hamble, in Hampshire. Andrew Pate reports.
Two travellers who exploited vulnerable men and made them work long hours withno pay, live in tents and suffer beatings were jailed today. Victor Romain, 56 and Christopher Groombridge, 32, suffered at the hands of John Connors and his brother-in-law William (Billy) Connors for around five months.
The men, who were homeless or had drink problems, were approached by theConnors family and told they could work laying block paving or tarmac for £30 or£40 a day and they would also be given food and accommodation.
But instead they received little cash for up to 80 hours' work a week with nohealth and safety training nor the proper tools, Southampton Crown Court wastold. John Connors was sentenced to 40 months in prison and William Connors wasjailed for 30 months.
VIDEO: Two men have admitted keeping vulnerable people in squalid conditions and making them work for little or no pay. The two men are travellers and forced their victims to work for them mainly laying driveways and block paving.
Two men have admitted keeping vulnerable people in squalid conditions and making them work for little or no pay.
The two men are travellers and forced their victims to work for them mainly laying driveways and block paving.
John Connors was sentenced to 40 months while William Connors was sentenced for 30 months. More follows
Thames Valley Police say they are investigating a disturbance during a funeral at Greyfriars Church in Iffley Road at around 11.20am this morning.
Police received reports that a man has suffered what are believed to be knife related injuries.
The extent of his injuries are unknown at this time. Officers are at the scene speaking to witnesses and attempting to calm tensions, Thames Valley Police say.
Councillors have thrown out plans to turn four areas in Bournemouth into designated traveller sites after a consultation found none of them were appropriate. They say it's unlikely a suitable alternative site can be found.
One year after a £7m operation to remove travellers from the Dale Farm site in Essex, some local residents say the area has become a rubbish dump and a health hazard.
Despite the high-profile eviction, some travellers remain camped on a road leading up to it.
In show of anger at the evictions a year ago, about 100 people tried to storm the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) offices in central London today.
Some demonstrators attempted to gain entry into the building to "evict" the department's secretary Eric Pickles but were restrained on the ground by police.
A farmer has cleared travellers off his land in Sussex after threatening to forcibly evict them.
The caravans appeared in a field at Long Acres Farm near Shoreham but the landowner Dave Dawson confronted them with his digger and told them to leave.
Travellers say it's not the way to resolve the problem, as Malcolm Shaw now reports.