A car wash employee has told a jury he was left very tired, hungry and with just £20 in his first pay packet as he worked nine days in a row for a Carlisle business at the centre of modern slavery allegations.
At the city’s crown court today, a second Romanian national who was employed at Shiny on Warwick Road, during early 2017, gave evidence during the trial of three men who deny alleged involvement in forced labour and arranging for people to come to the UK with a view to their being exploited.
The man spoke of paying £130 for his journey from Eastern Europe to England.
He described being housed in dirty Carlisle accommodation, and of working nine days in a row before police visited the site, rounded up workers and arrested suspects exactly four years ago to the day – 10th May, 2017.
For car wash tasks which comprised drying vehicles and some shampooing, he used a glove-type sponge, wore his own clothing and wasn’t provided with any garments by management.
Speaking about his trainers, the man said: “I wasn’t able to stand on my feet any more. Because of the water. The water had eaten away at my feet, so to speak, because I had been working continuously for nine days.”
Now aged 39, he recalled working from 7am or 8am until 6pm each day, and being very tired after his first shift.
Asked about breaks, the man said he couldn’t speak English and had gestured at car wash manager Sitar Ali to “let him understand I am hungry”.
He understood that when cars were washed and work was finished, he could go on the alleged break.
The man said he expected to be paid £30 a day for car wash work – which was due to increase over time – but, when first paid, received only £20 after rent, transport costs and a deposit were deducted.
He also spoke of seeing two brothers at the site, one wiping off cars and the other carrying out construction work and helping with vehicles when it was busy. He didn’t speak to either.
Ali, of Adelaide Street, Carlisle, and brothers Defrim Paci, 42, of Windmill Close, Sutton-in-Ashfield; and 37-year-old Jetmir Paci, of Minimum Terrace, Chesterfield, each deny two charges.
These allege conspiracy to require others to perform forced or compulsory labour at Shiny in Carlisle; and conspiracy to facilitate travel with a view to exploitation. Ali further denies possessing criminal cash.
The trial, which is its second week, continues.
