Family jailed over forced labour

Five members of the same family have all been jailed by a judge at Bristol Crown Court for conspiracy to require a person to perform forced or compulsory labour.

William Connors, 52, has been jailed for six and a half years and his wife Mary, 48, received a sentence of two years and three months.

The couple's son, John, 29, was jailed for four years. Their other son James, 20, got three years detention in a young offender institution.

Son-in-law Miles Connors, 24, received a three year prison sentence.

Five members of the same traveller family who led a luxurious lifestyle at the expense of vulnerable men whom they forced to work for a pittance have all been jailed by a judge at Bristol Crown Court.

The labourers lived in filthy caravans on sites in Cheltenham and Leicestershire.

A husband and wife who "brutally manipulated and exploited" destitute men by forcing them to work in servitude were branded as "violent, cold, hard, exploiters" by their sentencing judge.

34-year-old James John and his 32-year-old wife Josie were convicted of controlling, exploiting and abusing the men for financial gain at a caravan site near Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire.

Judge Michael Kay QC said:

James John Connors and his wife Josie, who were found guilty of exploiting destitute men for financial gain at a travellers caravan site, have been sentenced to jail.

James John Connors received an 11 year sentence whilst his wife Josie received a four year sentence.

Josie Connors, 31, and her husband James John, 34 were convicted of two counts of holding a person in servitude and two counts of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Mr Connors was also convicted of actual bodily harm (ABH).

Tommy Connors Snr, 52, was convicted of one servitude charge and one false labour charge, as well as one of ABH.

Patrick Connors, 20, was convicted of conspiring to hold a person in servitude, as well as false labour and ABH charges.

Seven members of the family were on trial but the jury failed to reach verdicts on counts regarding Tommy Junior, 27, Johnny, 28, and James Connors, 24, after deliberating for 38 hours and 48 minutes.

Follow this story on the ITV Anglia website.

Four members of a traveller family have been found guilty of forcing destitute men into servitude.

Tommy Senior, James John, Patrick and Josie Connors were convicted of controlling, exploiting, verbally abusing and beating the men at a caravan site near Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire.

You can follow this story on the ITV Anglia website.

Tommy Senior, James John, Patrick and Josie Connors were convicted of controlling, exploiting, verbally abusing and beating the men for financial gain at a caravan site near Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire.

During the trial, the jury at Luton Crown Court heard that the complainants, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were forced to work in the Connors' block paving business.

The court heard the men were allegedly given next to no food, forced to wash in cold water and paid little or no money for working up to 19 hours a day, six days a week.

You can follow this story on the ITV Anglia website.

Four members of a traveller family - Tommy Senior, James John, Patrick and Josie Connors - were today found guilty at Luton Crown Court of forcing destitute men into servitude.