MEMBERS OF A Traveller family convicted of modern day slavery were today jailed for their crimes.
Members of the Rooney family in Lincolnshire were found guilty of enslaving at least 18 victims – some of whom had disabilities, mental health difficulties or alcohol addictions – in order to fund their lavish lifestyle, police said.
All victims were aged between 18 and 63; one of the victims had been working for the family for 26 years.
If they tried to escape, they were chased and brought back to the Traveller site, the court heard. The family would sometimes use alcohol or drugs to placate their victims.
All defendants were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court after a series of linked trials which began in late 2016.
The 11 people were convicted of offences relating to modern slavery and fraud are:
Judge Timothy Spencer described the offences as “chilling” as he handed down sentencing this afternoon.
He described Drinsey Nook as “the hub of wholesale exploitation of vulnerable men made to perform forced labour” and that the Rooney family “preyed on men who were vulnerable and easy to manipulate”.
Chief Superintendent Chris Davison, Head of Crime for Lincolnshire Police, said the severity of the crimes was underlined by the sentences imposed by the judge. He added that the victims will never get the years back that were taken away from them but that he “hopes this provides them with some comfort that justice has been served and demonstrates that we will do everything in our power to try and stop others suffering in the ways that they did”.
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