Three people have been banned from hiring anyone without a valid National Insurance number after vulnerable persons were found in rooms above a Boston nail bar which posed a fire risk. Two men and a woman, all of Boston, must obey a five-year order issued at Boston Magistrates' Court which aims to stop modern slavery.

The order relates to two Boston nail bars run by the defendants in the town. Failure to comply could result in up to five years in prison. Community cohesion officer Tamzin Hurley-Roe, who led the investigation, said agencies found individuals who couldn’t provide a convincing account of why they were there during two visits to one of the nail bars.

She said: "These were vulnerable people with no money or ID, and no apparent way to fund their existence. They would be unlikely to ask authorities for assistance due to their immigration status. One woman was sleeping in rooms above the nail bar with an unconfirmed number of other people in unsuitable and unsafe conditions.

The rooms above the nail bar were referred to Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and subsequently prohibited for any people to live or sleep there due to the risk to them in the event of a fire. A second woman was sleeping in another property owned by the defendants despite it being prohibited in 2018 by Boston Borough Council for numerous hazards."

The Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order approved on May 16 specifies that the three named defendants are prohibited from:

·       renting or subletting any property for accommodation, save for immediate family.

·       arranging travel / transport of anyone to work, other than their immediate family.

·       employing or engaging any worker other than those who hold a National Insurance number.

·       failing to keep written records of all workers and their national insurance numbers.

·       failing to provide Police with this written record immediately upon request.

·       retaining, possessing, or controlling any banking documentation, bank cards or bank books belonging to another.

·       contacting three specified individuals directly or indirectly.

In addition, the defendants must ensure that all workers are provided with a wage slip, they must retain copies of wage slips for six months and upon request, provide wage slips to Police. The order will remain in place until May 15, 2027.

Lincolnshire Police secured the order with assistance from other organisations including the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. It comes as a result of a wider work in Lincolnshire involving the police, the GLAA, Trading Standards and Immigration Enforcement in visits to car washes and nail bars to engage with potentially vulnerable workers. The work is also supported by Boston Borough Council and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.

GLAA senior investigating officer Dave Powell said: “We were pleased to support Lincolnshire Police with this application which helps protect some of the most vulnerable and hidden workers in society. Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders significantly reduce the risk of modern slavery or labour exploitation by providing additional safeguards to deter those who may commit such unlawful and harmful offences. They are a valuable tool for law enforcement in the fight against labour abuse and we will continue to use them with partners to protect our communities from harm.”

Boston Magistrates’ Court also approved a two-year court order against another man who runs a car wash in Pinchbeck. This application was led by the GLAA and supported by Lincolnshire Police, against Hamza, who runs the M&H car wash in Enterprise Way, Pinchbeck.

https://www.gla.gov.uk/who-we-are/modern-slavery/

https://www.lincs.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/ms/modern-slavery/