A judge has started summing up evidence in the long-running trial of three men who deny modern slavery crimes which allegedly centre on a Carlisle car wash.
Carlisle Crown Court jury told modern slavery crimes accused will not give trial evidence timesandstar.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from timesandstar.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Men who deny car wash modern slavery crimes will not give trial evidence
Three men who deny alleged modern day slavery crimes which are said to centre on a Carlisle car wash will not give evidence from the witness box during their trial, jurors have been told.
Defrim Paci, 42, is accused of operating at the head of a conspiracy which the prosecution say comprised “forced labour and arranging for people to come to the UK with a view to their being exploited” during 2016 and 2017.
Paci is in the dock with his 37-year-old brother, Jetmir, and Sitar Ali, 33, manager of the Shiny car wash in Warwick Road, both of whom also stand accused of illegal involvement.
Three men are on trial at the city’s crown court. Brothers Defrim Paci, 42, and 37-year-old Jetmir Paci stand accused, along with Sitar Ali, 33, of modern slavery crimes linked to Shiny, Warwick Road. These were allegedly committed during 2016 and 2017, involving “forced labour and arranging for people to come to the UK with a view to their being exploited”. Three Romanians have already told a jury of working long hours in return for low pay, without protective equipment and living in “very dirty” multi-occupancy city accommodation. Evidence a fourth man gave to police in a recorded interview was played yesterday. He spoke of Ali “whistling, swearing” at workers. Asked what he thought Ali meant by that, the man said: “His intention was to make us work harder, to wash more cars so he can make more money.”