Trio on trial for modern slavery charges after vulnerable man was coerced into labour, stripped of his wages and subjected to poor living conditions.
A man from Latvia was coerced into forced labour and stripped of his wages after being brought to the UK under false pretenses, a court has heard. Rolands Kazoks, the victim, was allegedly kept against his will in Newport, South Wales, where he was made to work in various jobs while his wages were taken, his passport and bank cards seized, and he was denied basic needs such as clean clothes and access to showers.
Three individuals—Normunds Freibergs, 40, Jokubas Stankevicius, 59, and Ruta Stankeviciene, 57—are now standing trial at Newport Crown Court, facing modern slavery charges, including forcing Mr Kazoks to perform compulsory labour. Freibergs, who is also accused of arranging the victim’s travel for exploitation purposes and acting as an unlicensed gangmaster, denies the charges.
The prosecution explained that Mr Kazoks had been living in Germany before he sought a better life in the UK, where he connected with Freibergs through a Latvian social media site. Freibergs misrepresented himself as a recruiter for a legitimate agency, Thomas Recruitment, although he had no direct association with the firm. Mr Kazoks was promised work in a bakery for £8.20 per hour, with living costs of £85 per week. However, upon arriving in Wales, he was instead housed in a small room at the home of Stankevicius and Stankeviciene, with his debt to the defendants growing rapidly.
The prosecution claims the defendants systematically increased his living costs and added arbitrary charges, including £50 for a National Insurance number and £300 for gaining employment. As Mr Kazoks’ financial obligations increased, he was subjected to threats, with the defendants warning him that his family in Latvia would be targeted if he did not comply.
Mr Kazoks was allegedly made to hand over his wages, amounting to around £10,000, and given only small amounts of money in return. He was told that once he paid off his debts, he would be able to buy what he wished. However, his working and living conditions became progressively worse. His colleagues at Faccenda Foods in Abergavenny, where he started working in December 2017, noticed his lack of food and poor attire, including wearing sandals during winter. Their concern led to them offering him food and buying him trainers. It was only in October 2018, after receiving help from a colleague, that Mr Kazoks finally confided in his employer’s HR department, prompting an investigation by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and the police.
The three accused deny all charges, with Stankeviciene claiming that Mr Kazoks had used his wages to send money to his family and buy clothes and food. Freibergs is accused of orchestrating the exploitation by ensuring Mr Kazoks was placed in the hands of the other two defendants, where he would be subjected to abuse, threats, and forced to work under unbearable conditions.
