A man has been spared prison for mistreating a slave who lived in a horse box and rotten 6ft wooden shed as he was exploited for up to 40 years.
Specialist officers found the traumatised and vulnerable man and his outbuilding living quarters which comprised just a chair and soiled bedding when they raided a residential side north of Carlisle at dawn in October 2018.
In care until he was aged 18, he was then invited to work for the late Peter Swailes senior.
“He had little understanding of the world around him,” prosecutor Barbara Webster told Carlisle Crown Court as she described the victim being found.
“He was ill equipped to deal with adult life, could not manage alone and had no clue as to the complexities of the value of money, wages, taxes or anything else.
“He was found by the police living in a rotten shed, with water pouring through it, with a makeshift bed, and congealed vomit in the corner.”
He had, over time, lived in a horse box, disused caravan and, for the five years up to 2018, the shed which had no heating, lighting or proper flooring.
This was in stark contrast to a next-door shed in far better condition which housed the family dog.
He was vulnerable and had an IQ of 59 which was in the lowest one per cent of the population.
“He had few possessions to show for his 40 years’ hard work. A wash bag, three second hand coats, a few stained duvets and compact discs,” said Ms Webster.
“The only food was a half-eaten Pot Noodle, a bowl of sweets, yogurts and crisps. The odour of the shed was overwhelming.
“He lived with Peter Swailes senior for the last 40 years during which time he was used and exploited.”
His son, 56-year-old Peter Swailes junior, was sentenced today, having admitted conspiring with other, including his late father, to arrange or facilitate the man’s travel with a view to exploitation.
“The defendant used the victim in the same way that his late father did although it is conceded to very much a lesser extent.”
Swailes junior was unaware of the man’s terrible living conditions but admitted on occasion paying him less than his proper entitlement for jobs which included high risk work at height. He was often paid as little as £10 per day.
“In some instances the defendant (Swailes junior) was paid thousands for the jobs that he did — (the victim) less than the minimum wage,” said Ms Webster.
The home of Swailes senior — who died last year aged 81 while waiting for trial on the conspiracy charge — had been “a palace by contrast” to the man, who did not appreciate he had been exploited and had missed out on four decades of life experiences.
He had been found by investigators following a tip-off.
“He was dishevelled, unkempt, wearing a jacket and jeans that were damp. He had traces of paint in his hair,” said the prosecutor.
While living with Swailes senior, he was allowed to use only the toilet and had to visit a local sports centre for showers. “He could not recall the last time he had a bath,” added Ms Webster.
Judith McCullough, defending father-of-five Swailes junior, of Low Harker, near Carlisle, said he was now in poor health.
“He is facing sentence for his role, limited as it was, in the exploitation. That is a matter of great regret for this defendant,” she said.
Judge Richard Archer suspended a nine-month jail term for 18 months, noting that Swailes junior’s role had been limited, and that his father had previously been a controlling influence on him.
Addressing Swailes junior, Judge Archer said: “He was exploited by you. You may not have known the extent of (the man’s) living conditions or his precise IQ but it must have been obvious to you that he did not have any real appreciation for the potential consequences of some of the work that you required him to perform at an undervalue and with little or no regard for his personal safety.”
As part of his sentence, Swailes junior must also complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for up to 25 days.
