Mystery death linked to case of London slave couple
The investigation into the longest case of modern British slavery is continuing as reports emerge of a death at the collective run by the two suspects in 1996.
The investigation into the longest case of modern British slavery is continuing as reports emerge of a death at the collective run by the two suspects in 1996.
A female member of a Maoist sect known as The Collective fell from a
second floor at the home of Aravindan and Chanda Balakrishnan on Christmas Eve 1996. Ms Davies was left paraplegic from the incident and died a year later.
According to The Times, at the inquest into the death of Ms Davies the coroner, Selena Lynch, described the death as a mystery. No evidence of criminality was found.
Aravindan Balakrishnan, 73, and his 67-year-old wife Chanda are accused of keeping three women as domestic slaves for 30 years.
The women, including one who was thought to have spent her entire life in captivity, were freed by police in London after one of the women contacted a charity. They are now in a place of safety.
The couple were arrested on November 21, 2013, and released on bail until January.
Freedom Charity worked with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to rescue the three women, a 69-year-old Malaysian, a 57-year-old Irish women and a British women aged 30 who was thought to have been raised in captivity.
Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland of the MPS human trafficking unit said: Weve established that all three women were held in this situation for at least 30 years.
Their lives were greatly controlled and for much of it they would be kept in the premises.
The human trafficking unit of the Metropolitan Police deals with many cases of servitude and forced labour. Weve seen some cases where people have been held for up to ten years but weve never seen anything of this magnitude before.
Its part of our investigation who had any freedom, what sort of freedom, under what conditions that freedom was allowed.
National policing lead on migration and related matters, Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer, said: Modern slavery can happen throughout the whole of the UK, not just in big cities but also in rural areas.
It is now recognised that exploitation of people as a commodity is the second most lucrative area of criminal activity worldwide. The types of exploitation are wide ranging including forced criminal activity, domestic servitude, forced labour, sexual exploitation and forced marriage.
Domestic slavery is a difficult crime to identify as the victims are hidden away from society and communities, often in the domestic settings of seemingly respectable people. It is often perpetrated by individuals or families rather than organised crime groups. It is recognised that in some countries it is tradition to have a domestic worker. This can often lead to the exploitation of females and in particular children.
Aneeta Prem, spokesperson for Freedom Charity, said that after hearing about the situation of the women they took immediate action in planning their safe rescue.
Facilitating their escape was achieved using utmost sensitivity and secrecy and with the safety of the women as our primary concern, she added.
There is a Slavery Bill currently on its second reading in the House of Commons. The Bill aims to tighten the law on human trafficking, ensuring cases like that in Lambeth do not reoccur.
Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary, said: This is a truly dreadful case, everyone`s hearts will go out to the three women involved, and it is vital they get proper support and help now.
The Government has rightly promised new legislation to tackle modern slavery but they should urgently review the operation of the domestic visitor visa in time for the Parliamentary debate. And they should bring forward stronger plans to prevent trafficked children being moved around the UK too. Stronger punishments for traffickers are welcome but more is needed.