In the UK, a 56-year-old man was convicted who, together with his father, kept a slave in his garden for 40 years.
The court of the city of Carlisle, located in the extreme north-west of England, appointed Peter Swales Jr. 18 months probation.
The initiator of keeping the victim in slavery was the convict’s father, Peter Swales Sr. The 80-year-old pensioner managed to escape punishment: he died of natural causes shortly before the trial.
Life in slavery
The police obtained a search warrant at the Swales’ home back in the fall of 2018. It was then that law enforcement officers released a slave prisoner who did not even expect to be rescued. His name, age and nationality were not disclosed.
It turned out that the man was enslaved by Swales Sr. more than 40 years ago. At first he was forced to live in a horse box, after which he was moved to a barn without human conditions for existence.
A male prisoner was sleeping on the floor under a dirty blanket, there was a broken TV and other junk next to him. There was only one window in the shed that didn’t close completely. Investigators also found an old electric heater with damaged wiring in the shed: there was no other heating inside.
The court materials noted that the Swales family also had a separate house for their dog, and this room was much better than their hostage’s barn.
The guilt of father and son
During the first interrogations in 2018, Peter Swales Sr. completely denied his involvement in the crime. His son also refused to cooperate with the investigation, but after his father’s death he admitted his guilt.
At the trial, Peter Swales Jr. said that for hard work (painting, sewing and even paving), the father paid the hostage 10 pounds a day.
Given the circumstances, the judge changed his mind, because the son of the tyrant father really was not fully informed about the conditions of the man living in their garden.
The fate of the freed man
According to experts, the injured man will remain traumatized for the rest of his life. According to him, he was enslaved at the age of 16, and now he is over 60.
So far it is known that the man has received housing, which he is very happy with. The local authorities ordered that a volunteer visit him every day and help with the housework.
