A Harrogate car wash owner has today been found guilty of modern slavery crimes.
Defrim Paci, a 42-year-old married father-of-four, was one of two men convicted at Carlisle Crown Court.
Mr Paci is sole director of Harrogate Hand Carwash on Sykes Grove but the crimes were committed against workers at a Carlisle car wash.
After a six-week trial, Paci, of Windmill Close, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire and Sitar Ali, of Adelaide Street, Carlisle, were unanimously convicted of conspiracy to require others to perform forced or compulsory labour at the Carlisle car wash Shiny, and conspiracy to facilitate travel with a view to exploitation.
Jurors deliberated for almost 27 hours across six days.
The court heard graphic evidence about terrible conditions in which employees at Shiny were forced to carry out daily duties.
Several told of working long hours for little pay and being denied breaks when the car wash was busy during 2016 and 2017, and not being given the freedom to take time off.
One described being left “very tired”, hungry and with just £20 in his first pay packet as he worked nine long days in a row. He was also one of several workers who complained that no protective clothing was provided, and said water had “eaten away at my feet” as it seeped through his trainers.
Skin burned
One worker recalled buying cheap gloves from Tesco to protect his hands from cleaning chemicals which, some employees complained, burned the skin on their face and body.
Workers also reported rat and insect infestation sightings in their “very dirty” Carlisle multi-occupancy accommodation, having paid for transportation from their native Romania to north Cumbria.
Travel costs and deposits were deducted from weekly pay and wage slips, where issued, understated working hours and overstated the amount of money earned.
Employees were taken to a charity safe centre on May 10, 2017, when health and safety officers called at Shiny, issuing several improvement notices as police arrested suspects.
One worker later told police:
“They treated me the same like they would do with a slave.”
Paci ‘operated at the top’
Paci was said to have “operated at the top” of the criminal enterprise, buying land and setting up a business, which was managed by Sitar Ali.
Ali was also convicted of possessing criminal property after £16,000 was found in a BMW after his arrest.
Martin Reid, prosecuting, told jurors:
“It is the prosecution case that the circumstances created by the defendants led to the freedom of these workers effectively being overridden.”
Paci and Ali will be sentenced on July 30.
Denied bail
Barristers representing the two men made pleas for bail in the meantime, so they could put “affairs in order” ahead of sentencing, which one suggested was a “significant inevitability”.
But Judge Nicholas Barker remanded both men into custody, saying.
“I fully accept that these matters have been hanging over you for many, many years now and you have been on bail for an extended period of time.
“However, the fact of your convictions changes the circumstances. In my judgement there is a flight risk that you have. Both of you have access to connections overseas.”
A third man, 37-year-old Jetmir Paci, was acquitted by jurors of two conspiracy allegations.
Read more:
- Trial starts of Harrogate car wash owner accused of modern slavery
- Harrogate nightclub owner: ‘Government wants to kill us off’
