A man has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison for holding eight people in conditions of slavery and servitude at a car wash in South London.
A Life of False Promises and Captivity
Hewa Margai, 45, of Carshalton Road in Mitcham, was handed a sentence of eight years and six months at Kingston Crown Court. He was found guilty on eight counts of holding a person in slavery or servitude.
The victims, all Romanian nationals, were trafficked to the UK between November and December 2020. They had been lured with false promises of proper accommodation, fair pay, food, and legitimate work.
Upon their arrival, the grim reality was revealed. They were forced to work at Margai's car wash in Mitcham and were housed in a small, unhygienic shed on the premises. The victims were routinely subjected to physical, mental, and psychological abuse.
Squalid Conditions and Confiscated Freedom
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the situation worsened. The victims were confined to the car wash premises without any access to their travel documents, effectively trapping them.
The case came to light when the youngest victim, a 15-year-old boy, contacted the Metropolitan Police on 1 February 2021. He revealed that his ID had been confiscated by the manager upon arrival in the UK.
When police officers visited the car wash that same day, they discovered the full extent of the horror. They found eight victims in total: two women in their 20s, five men aged from their teens to their 30s, and the 15-year-old boy. All had been living in the on-site shed for months.
The victims, who spoke minimal English, used Google Translate to communicate with officers. They disclosed they had travelled to the UK by bus and had only worked for a few weeks before the car wash was closed due to lockdown. After the closure, they were forced to pay rent to Margai, who still held their identification.
Severe Consequences and Judicial Condemnation
The neglect had dire health consequences. One of the rescued women developed a severe infection, which led to hospitalisation and required multiple surgeries, a direct result of the conditions she endured.
Margai was not present during the police raid but was arrested on 12 March 2021 upon his return to the UK.
Sentencing him, Judge Mark Milliken-Smith KC was scathing in his remarks. He stated that Margai's "desire for financial profit trumped any care for these young people, once they arrived." The judge described how the victims were instructed to remain on the premises, a command they had no power to refuse.
He detailed the squalor police found, noting the room was "cold and damp and smelt terribly of old food and body odour." The judge concluded, "You intended them to live in this squalor, and you intended to profit from it. Without their [ID] cards, they were effectively your captives, and you knew it."
Police Praise Victims' Courage
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Stubbins, from the Metropolitan Police's Central Specialist Crime unit, commended the victims for their bravery. "The trauma and ordeal the victims endured cannot be underestimated," he said.
DCI Stubbins added that the victims showed remarkable strength throughout the investigation, playing an essential role in providing the evidence that secured Margai's conviction. He also praised the investigation team for their tireless work in identifying the victims, ensuring their safety, and helping to repatriate them to Romania to be reunited with their families.
