Girl Kept In Cellar For A Decade, Court Hears

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16166817

A deaf girl was kept in a cellar for almost a decade and repeatedly raped after being trafficked from Pakistan when she was about 10 years old, a court has been told.

The orphaned girl, who is unable to speak, was forced to work for money every day before being locked in the room where she would sleep on a concrete floor, Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester heard.

Ilyas Ashar, 83, and his wife Tallat Ashar, 66, deny charges of false imprisonment, human trafficking, sexual offences, violence and benefit fraud.

But prosecutor Peter Cadwallader told the jury the girl, now aged between 19 and 21 was kept at their home in Eccles, Greater Manchester, after she was brought from Pakistan in June 2000.

He said it was a "mystery and matter of concern" how a child that age could get
through immigration and there may be "significant and proper" criticism of the Border Agency, whose role had a "good deal to answer for".

The girl was allowed into the UK on the basis she was coming in to work as a domestic servant and was made to cook, clean, do the washing and ironing for the Ashars and clean the houses and cars of their family and friends, the court heard.

Mr Cadwallader said: "In essence it is the prosecution case that she lived in a state of servitude when she entered the Ashar home in Pakistan, then later when she was brought to this country in June 2000.

"The Crown say she was the ideal target for this exploitation as she is and was extremely vulnerable.

"At night the door at the top of the stairs down to the cellar was locked and bolted so she could not get out during the night.

"There were no washing or toilet facilities in the cellar so that if she needed to use the bathroom during the night she had to bang on the cellar door in the hope that she was heard and the door opened.

"On other occasions, during the day, presumably when she displeased Tallat Ashar, she was pushed into the cellar, pushed down the stairs and the door locked.

"She would sit there for hours crying and locked in."

The alleged victim had no family or friends in the UK and had never been to school in Pakistan or Britain. She cannot read or write and the only people she knew in Britain were the Ashars.

However, she was taught to write her signature so her name could be used to claim benefits, it is alleged.

Ilyas and Tallat Ashar both deny two counts of human trafficking into the UK for exploitation and a single count of false imprisonment.

Ilyas Ashar also denies 12 counts of rape, while his wife denies one count of sexual assault and unlawful wounding. The pair along with their daughter Faaiza, 24, also deny charges of benefit fraud.

The case continues.

SURPRISED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS IN ENGLAND.

It's obvious why, isn't it.

I'm not surprised to hear it at all Badboy. There have in the past been other similar cases in UK of servants being brought over and then kept as slaves. I don't think it was too long ago that houses were raided where young girls brought over illegally were kept and imprisoned as sex slaves. I would imagine there are more than a few other cases that so far haven't come to light, and probably never will.

Don't it warm the cockles of your heart to be a member of a multicutural society....

Dear god!!!

The wife is shown in full veil and body covering, like she's a good Muslim! Maybe she is, but what does this case say about her moral values?

The girl was allowed into the UK on the basis she was coming in to work as a domestic servant and was made to cook, clean, do the washing and ironing for the Ashars and clean the houses and cars of their family and friends, the court heard

For gods sake she was 10 years old

ISN'T CHILD LABOUR ILLEGAL,A POSSIBLE BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Badboy wrote:ISN'T CHILD LABOUR ILLEGAL,A POSSIBLE BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Yes, how come a 10 year old was allowed in as a domestic servant? She should have been at school.

AnnaEsse wrote:

Badboy wrote:ISN'T CHILD LABOUR ILLEGAL,A POSSIBLE BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Yes, how come a 10 year old was allowed in as a domestic servant? She should have been at school.

IF YOU DO FIND OUT HOW THIS HAPPENED(A CHILD ALLOWED IN TO BE A DOMESTIC SERVANT),I WANT TO BE FIRST TO KNOW THE DETAILS.YOU MIGHT HAVE TO EXPLAIN VERY CAREFULLY.

Badboy wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

Badboy wrote:ISN'T CHILD LABOUR ILLEGAL,A POSSIBLE BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Yes, how come a 10 year old was allowed in as a domestic servant? She should have been at school.

IF YOU DO FIND OUT HOW THIS HAPPENED(A CHILD ALLOWED IN TO BE A DOMESTIC SERVANT),I WANT TO BE FIRST TO KNOW THE DETAILS.YOU MIGHT HAVE TO EXPLAIN VERY CAREFULLY.

I think I need a very careful explanation of this. We're allowing people to bring in young children as domestic servants?

I guess it would not be politically correct to refuse entry on religious or multi cultural grounds,i would imagine our welfare system will have paid for the cellar conversion and social service were giving glowing reports of the loving 'parents'.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pair-kept-deaf-girl-slave-trial-165819326.html

Deaf 'Child Slave' Gives Evidence Against Pair

A deaf woman who was allegedly kept for 10 years as a "child slave" by a couple in Manchester has been giving evidence to court via a video link.

Filmed interviews she gave to the police were played to a crown court but beforehand the woman asked: "Will I be kept from [the defendants] Mr and Mrs Ashar?".

The court was told the orphan was brought illegally into the UK in 2000.

No-one was sure of her age but it is thought she was about 10.

Jurors have heard that Ilyas and Tallat Ashar kept her overnight in a cellar of their house in Eccles, Greater Manchester.

She allegedly slept on a concrete floor and was made to cook, clean, wash and iron, and also cleaned the cars and houses of family and friends of the couple.


Shown a photograph of Mr Ashar, the alleged victim said: "He is the bad man who had sex with me."

Upon seeing a picture of Mrs Ashar, she said: "She used to hit me in the face and cut me with the ring on her finger. It would really hurt. I would clean full-time. That was my life.

"She would pick things up and drop them on my head. She used to stop me eating and drinking and would say: Go out and wash the car.

"She would push me in the back and then shut the door and lock it behind me. I would sit for a long, long time crying. I was really upset, crying and alone.

"I tried to get out and she would drag me back upstairs by my hair. She would hit me with a rolling pin."

Prosecutor Peter Cadwallader said the victim was kept in the cellar without washing facilities or a toilet for hours packing football shirts and mobile phone covers.

She had not been to school at home in Pakistan or in the UK and could neither read nor write but was taught to sign her name so it could be used to claim benefits.

Mr Cadwallader told the court: "At night the door at the top of the stairs down to the cellar was locked and bolted so she could not get out during the night."

Ilyas Ashar, 83, and his wife Tallat, 66, are accused of human trafficking, false imprisonment and benefit fraud.

Mr Ashar also faces 12 charges of rape. Mrs Ashar is further charged with sexual assault and unlawful wounding. They deny the charges.

Their daughter Faaiza, 24, denies benefit fraud.

The alleged victim, who cannot speak, gave evidence from a remote location with the help of interpreters and sign language experts.