The tiny cupboard under the stairs where a slave was forced to sleep

The 50-year-old man who wanted a better life in the UK was forced to work for Rita Jablonskaite and Robertas Repsas but was never been paid for their work.

A few months after he arrived in the UK, he told the couple he didn’t want to work for them anymore. Repsas warned him 'I’ve broken harder men then you' and said he should be grateful for having a roof over his head.

The 50-year-old female victim was approached in Lithuania by Jablonskaite's father who said she could earn money by working for his daughter’s cleaning firm in the UK.

She also travelled to the UK in a shuttle bus and was left outside the defendant’s home which was then in Westland Drive, in the early hours of June 23.

The woman was made to clean and look after the defendant’s young daughter.

There was no bed for her and she was forced to sleep on the sofa in the living room.

She was often given just one meal a day and spoke of being so hungry sometimes that she cried.

The cupboard

Nicola Wyn Williams from CPS Mersey-Cheshire said: “Repsas and Jablonskaite trafficked vulnerable people to this country, by deceiving them that they would get paid work in the UK and improve their lives. The opposite was the case.

“They were used as slaves by the defendants removed their ID documents and took total control over their money, their bank accounts and their lives.

“The victims couldn’t leave the house without asking permission and had no way of breaking free and raising the alarm. Repsas and Jablonskaite had made both victims totally dependent on them. The male victim spoke of feeling that he was ‘invisibly handcuffed’.

“We think of slavery as something that was eradicated here centuries ago, but unfortunately it hasn’t. Modern slavery is a growing problem in the UK and the Crown Prosecution Service works with the police and other Government agencies to robustly tackle it.

“The CPS is responsible for prosecuting those who have trafficked and exploited vulnerable people under false pretences as well as confiscating their assets.

“We work with prosecutors across the globe to stamp out this vile abuse of the rights of all human beings

“Victims of this crime are typically extremely vulnerable and often reluctant to, or fearful of, engaging with law enforcement.

READ > The couple who kept slaves in a cupboard

"Ensuring the proper identification, continued support and protection of victims remains vital.

"Victims may also find the prospect of giving evidence at court particularly daunting.

"The CPS works closely with law enforcement to build robust cases with the aim of lessening or removing the need to rely upon the evidence of victims.

"Victims can also be supported by Special Measures to assist witnesses in court and help to relieve some of the stress associated with giving evidence.”