London - Three women kept as 'slaves' for 30 years freed

**bb1** Thu Nov 21, 2013 8:59 pm

http://news.sky.com/story/1171815/women-were-kept-as-slaves-for-over-30-years

Women Were 'Kept As Slaves For Over 30 Years'
Three women aged between 30 and 69 are rescued from a house in London after an investigation sparked by a Sky News report.

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Two people have been arrested as part of an investigation into slavery and domestic servitude at a house in London sparked by a report on Sky News.

The inquiry was launched after one of three alleged victims told a charity she had been held against her will for more than 30 years in a house in Lambeth, south London.

She contacted the Freedom Charity after seeing its founder Aneeta Prem in a report last summer about forced marriages.

Scotland Yard said the charity, which advises and supports victims of forced marriages or honour-based violence, got in touch and helped with sensitive negotiations, which revealed the location of the house and led to the rescue of the three women.

Police believe the youngest of the alleged victims may have spent her entire life as a domestic slave.

Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland from the Metropolitan Police's human trafficking unit told a news conference at Scotland Yard that the force had "never seen anything of this magnitude".

Home Secretary Theresa May is "shocked by this appalling case," her department said in a statement.

Officers said the two suspects, a man and a woman, both aged 67 and not British, have been taken to a south London police station for questioning.

One of the three alleged victims is a 69-year-old Malaysian woman, the other a 57-year-old Irish woman and the third a 30-year-old Briton.

All three, described by police as "highly traumatised", were taken to a place of safety where they remain.

Ms Prem told Sky News it was the Irish woman who phoned the Freedom Charity after watching her on television.

"I think all of them saw me on the news and made a decision because of the name of the charity and because they had seen me on TV - that gave them the courage to make that phone call," she said.

"I can't go in to too many details but they managed to get to a phone and make a call to us.

"We started to talk to them in depth when we could. It had to be pre-arranged when they were able to make calls to us and it had to be done very secretly because they felt they were in massive danger.

"It was planned that they would be able to walk out of the property. The police were on standby."

DI Hyland said the women were rescued on October 25 but the suspects were not immediately arrested as officers had to "establish the facts" from "extremely traumatised" victims.

He said it appeared the three alleged victims had been given "limited freedom" during the three decades they claim to have been held as slaves.

He said he was unable to confirm any relationship between the suspects and the three women who were freed.

"I don't know any relationships between the women in respect of the suspects," he said.

"Clearly, because of the nationalities of the women that have been held victims, it's very unlikely they are related in any way."

He added: "We applaud the actions of Freedom Charity and are working in partnership to support these victims who appear to have been held for over 30 years."

A neighbour said the arrested couple were "very nice".

The neighbour added: "They just kept themselves to themselves and I keep myself to myself. So it was just a case of we'd pass and say hello to each other.

"They just seemed a very normal couple. I just know it's very unfortunate."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The Home Secretary is shocked by this appalling case and while the police need to get to the bottom of exactly what happened here, she's made clear her determination to tackle the scourge of modern slavery."

Met commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe told BBC London radio: "If the allegations are true that someone's been kept against their will or been abused for 30 years that's a horrendous thing and we're all shocked by that."

**lily** Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:14 pm

Just goes to show you how people can be kept against their will while the neighbors know nothing at all.

That should stick in the haters skin that it can and does happen.

**bb1** Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:18 pm

Yes, it's staggering - I think this is the first time a situation like this has come to light in the UK? Which doesn't mean there aren't other poor souls suffering, so far unknown.

**lily** Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:21 pm

That's what I read too, Bonny. This is a first. Let us hope that we don't hear of anything like this again.

**bb1** Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:28 pm

Myths are looking at lists of the missing:

http://stopthemyths.prophpbb.com/post203566.html#p203566

and found this lady:

http://www.missing.ws/_missingpersons/missingPerson.asp?id=941

Bridget (Bridie) Roche (Cork)

Bridget (Bridie) Roche

Missing from Mitchelstown since the mid to late 1970's

Born: 1955

Age: 55

Hair: Brown

*

Bridget (Bridie) Roche was last seen at Cork Airport boarding a plane to return to London where she was training to be a nurse. She was seen off at the airport by her Mother Hanora Roche (RIP) and her brother Garrett Oliver Roche. I am not sure if her father Garrett Roche (RIP) also was present at the airport when she was last seen.

Shortly after she left her Nursing school sent a message to Hanora Roche (Bridie's Mother) wanting to know as to why she had not returned to class. Hanora traveled to London and reported Bridie missing to the London Police. She also tried to find Bridie with the help of the Salvation Army but with no luck.

Shortly after she dissappeared, the local Ballindangan Catholic Priest Fr. Con Donovan visited Hanora and Garrett Roche to say that he had received a letter from Bridie to say that she had run off with an Arabian Prince however, the priest was not believed at the time and Hanora and Garrett Roche cut off all communication with Fr Donovan.

Bridie Roche was never seen again. If you have any information on Bridie please email the webmaster.

It would be wonderful for her family if indeed she has been found. Let's hope we find out more from the police.

**lily** Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:32 pm

It would be wonderful. Do you remember when a few European ladies married Arab princes? There used to be some articles about them in the Sunday newspapers?

**bb1** Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:05 pm

**lily** Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:24 pm

They were kept by a non-British family. Am I allowed to say, that figures?

**bb1** Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:29 pm

I see. Yes, it does indeed figure.

**lily** Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:37 pm

Am not going to speculate as to their nationality at the moment, Bonny. Wink

**bb1** Mon Nov 25, 2013 3:25 pm

http://news.sky.com/story/1173455/couple-arrested-over-slave-claim-named

The couple suspected of holding three women in London for more than 30 years have been named as Aravindan and Chanda Balakrishnan.

A senior council source confirmed the pair were arrested last week by police amid allegations they held the women for decades and inflicted "physical and mental abuse".

More follows...

Rumours are flying that it was part of some wierd Maoist cult.

**lily** Mon Nov 25, 2013 3:55 pm

It should be rather interesting when the full story emerges.

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