Man Sentenced In First Case Of Husband Holding His Wife In Servitude

Safraz Ahmed, 34, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court to two years imprisonment for holding a person in servitude contrary to Section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

A restraining order was also imposed. This relates to holding his wife in servitude from 17 December 2012 to 18 August 2014. It is believed to be the first case in England and Wales where a husband has been convicted of this charge relating to his wife.

Police were originally called to an address in Park Drive in Charlton, Greenwich, at 10:51hrs on 18 August 2014, after a 999 call from a woman stating that she had been locked inside a property.

Officers assisted the woman, who was the wife of Ahmed, Sumara Iram (married name Ahmed), and she was subsequently taken to a place of safety.

They were married in Pakistan in 2006 where the victim remained to complete her studies before joining her husband in the UK in 2012. Upon arrival in England the victim soon realised that she would not be part of the loving family she had expected, instead she was kept in servitude.

Sumara, 29, alleged that, since January 2012, she had been kept as a domestic servant at a house in Elliscombe Road where Safraz Ahmed lived with other members of his family.

She was required to cook, clean, wash, iron and look after other people's children, and if this work was not done to the required standard, she was regularly beaten.

Sumara was not allowed to leave the house alone and was not financially supported, other than being given £10 per month to top-up her phone.

Ahmed was arrested on 18 August 2014 and charged under section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

Three other people, Viseem Ahmed, 38 of Park Drive, Charlton; Deena Patel, 37 of Park Drive, Charlton, and Zarina Ahmed, 73 of Elliscombe Road, Charlton were arrested in December 2014 and charged with conspiracy to hold a person in slavery.

They were acquitted at Woolwich Crown Court of all charges after no evidence was offered against them.

Detective Sergeant Pal Singh, from Greenwich CID, said: "Ahmed kept Sumara in his home for the sole purpose of using her as a domestic servant. She was brought over to Britain having entered into an arranged marriage with him in Pakistan and thought she would live here as his wife. Instead she lived as his slave and was forced to carry out all the domestic duties in his home. If she didn't do this, she would be subjected to beatings.

"I am pleased that Ahmed has received a custodial sentence and this should act as a warning to other people who are thinking of using marriage as a means of enslavement. Sumara's right to a full family life has been destroyed and she can't return to her native country for fear of harm and retributions."

Damaris Lakin, CPS London reviewing lawyer, said:

“This is a ground-breaking case which demonstrates how far we have come in tackling modern-day slavery. We believe this is the first conviction in England and Wales of a husband for holding his wife in servitude.

“After moving to the UK in 2012 to live with her husband it did not take long before the victim’s dream of a loving family life was shattered as she realised that she had been brought to the UK only to be a servant.

“She was treated with complete contempt by the defendant who responded to her requests for affection with physical assaults and verbal abuse. She was isolated from the world, allowed only very restricted contact with her family and was not allowed to leave the house unaccompanied.

“I would like to thank the victim in this case for her bravery in reporting the abuse and supporting the prosecution.

“The CPS is committed to working with the police and other partner agencies to bring the perpetrators of  modern day slavery to justice and support victims to help them through the prosecution process and beyond in the hope that they can rebuild their lives.”