Five arrests in 'slavery' raid at Greenacre travellers' site

[CleverClogs (RIP)]

Five arrests in 'slavery' raid at Greenacre travellers' site

Twenty-four men suspected of being held against their will have been found during a raid at a travellers' site.

Four men and a woman were arrested on suspicion of committing slavery offences in the raid at Greenacre travellers' site, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, on Sunday.

The men, who are English, Polish and Romanian, were found in "filthy and cramped" conditions, police said.

Detectives believe some may have been there for up to 15 years.

Those arrested are being held on suspicion of committing offences under the Slavery and Servitude Act 2010.

Read more ---> link

Of course, there is no "Slavery and Servitude Act 2010" - that as just some piffle thought up by the police spokes-wallah who fed the story to the BBC. The actual offences - if any had been committed - would be contrary to section 71 (link) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, which became law on 6 April 2010. This is an "either way" offence, which may be tried summarily or on indictment, with the latter option carrying the far greater penalty on conviction of up to 14 years in gaol; on the other hand, were a suspect to plead guilty before one a magistrate, he could be out in four months or less if he had been remanded in custody before trial.

It gets worse, though. When interviewed by the BBC, Defective Chimp Chief Inspector Sean O'Neil said:

some people did leave and told us what was going on and when we looked back since 2008 we were aware of 28 people who had made similar accusations.

So one must surely ask what the buggery the plods had been doing for the past three years, other than munching doughnuts, scratching their crotches and uttering their traditional mantra of "It's a civil matter, sir". That the specific offence now alleged to have been committed did not exist in 2008 is hardly a valid excuse for their inaction, as unlawful imprisonment has been a crime for centuries.