25 March 2010
TWO Hungarian nationals who trafficked women into Britain and forced them to work as sex slaves in Belsize Park were each jailed for eight years.
Joszek Budai, 24, and Andrea Novak, 20, were convicted of a string of trafficking and prostitution offences.
The court heard how they lured young Hungarian women to the UK with the promise of lucrative work. But once here they were taken to a flat in Glenmore Road and forced to work as prostitutes.
Despite charging £140 an hour for their services, the girls were just given pocket money for food.
Some were barred from leaving the flat and one was physically, mentally and verbally abused.
Sentencing the pair at Croydon Crown Court Judge Simon Pratt described the case as "the closest to human slavery as you could possibly get."
Two of the women escaped with the help of friends and raised the alarm with the Hungarian Embassy in London, which in turn, contacted the Met police.
Police officers arrested Novak and Budai on May 12 and they were charged the next day.
Detective Inspector Steve Wilkinson, of the Met's human trafficking team, said: "Once again, we have successfully brought to justice two more people who violate and exploit others for their own greed.
"We hope this result will encourage any other victims to come forward and speak with police who may have felt they
couldn't do so before.
Hampstead and Highgate Express - Traffickers jailed for keeping sex slaves in Belsize Park
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