PART 1

SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING OFFENCES

The offences

Slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour
1
1
A person (“A”) commits an offence if—
a
A holds another person (“B”) in slavery or servitude and the circumstances are such that A knows or ought to know that B is held in slavery or servitude, or
b
A requires B to perform forced or compulsory labour and the circumstances are such that A knows or ought to know that B is being required to perform forced or compulsory labour.
2
In subsection (1) the references to holding B in slavery or servitude or requiring B to perform forced or compulsory labour are to be construed in accordance with Article 4 of the Human Rights Convention.
3
In determining whether B is being held in slavery or servitude or required to perform forced or compulsory labour regard may be had to all the circumstances.
4
In particular, regard may be had to any of B's personal circumstances which may make B more vulnerable than other persons such as, for example—
a
that B is a child or a vulnerable adult; or
b
that A is a member of B's family.
5
The consent of B to any act which forms part of an offence under this section is irrelevant.
6
A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life.