Woman bailed over slavery charges

A 30-year-old pregnant woman charged with slavery offences was granted bail when she appeared in court in Britain today.

Josie Connors made a short appearance at Luton Magistrates’ Court charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit offences of holding people in servitude and two counts of requiring people to perform forced labour, Bedfordshire Police said.

She was granted conditional bail to reappear at Luton Crown Court on December 5 along with five men who have also been charged with offences in relation to the Greenacres travellers’ site, which was raided by police on September 11, a spokeswoman for Luton Magistrates’ Court confirmed.

Yesterday, Johnny Connors, 30, was remanded in custody after appearing in front of magistrates charged with one count of conspiracy to hold someone in servitude and one count of conspiracy to require someone to perform forced labour.

Connors is another brother of the three Connor brothers who appeared in front of magistrates last week.

James (Jimmy) Connors, 23, Tommy Connors, 27, and Patrick Connors, 19, were all charged with slavery offences and remanded in custody to reappear at the Crown Court on December 5.

Their brother-in-law, James (Big Jim) Connors, 33, was also in the dock charged with slavery offences and remanded to reappear at Luton Crown Court.

The charges relate to four alleged victims who were removed from the Greenacres travellers’ site.

Two other people, a 61-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man, were also arrested after agreeing to go to Luton police station to talk to officers, a spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Police said.

The woman has been released on police bail to return to Luton police station on October 31, while the man was released on police bail pending medical treatment for an ongoing condition.