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.