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REUTERS
LONDON
A GROUP of Lithuanian men trafficked to Britain to work on chicken farms have won a landmark civil case against their captors, in the first ruling against a British firm sued for modern slavery offences.
A high court judge on Friday ruled in favour of the victims, finding the company guilty of charging prohibited fees, unlawfully withholding wages, and failing to ensure the workers had adequate living and working conditions.
The six victims, aged 19 to 58, sought compensation for injuries, unpaid wages and breaches of health and safety. Compensation will be assessed at a later date.
"This is the first time the High Court has ruled in favour of victims of trafficking against a British company," said Shanta Martin from Leigh Day, the law firm representing the six men, said in a statement.
"It is an extremely important step towards proper compensation for our clients and should be seen as a warning to British companies that they must eradicate all forms of modern slavery from their businesses, whether in the UK or elsewhere."
The Lithuanian migrants accused the owners of DJ Houghton, which supplied chickens and eggs to supermarkets, of trafficking, abuse and beatings over several years.
