Victims of modern slavery settle claim for £20,000 with UK government

A group of Ghanaian fishermen argued that the government has violated their human rights by not holding them in slavery or servitude and not performing forced or compulsory labor.

The men were rescued by charity Stella Maris in 2020 from ‘appalling conditions’ on the British scallop trawler the Olivia Dean. The trawler is part of the TN Trawlers fleet, owned by Thomas Iain Nicholson or his company TN Enterprises Ltd.

They were brought to Britain on the pretext that they would be allowed to enter the United Kingdom as contract seamen. Instead, the men were subjected to modern slavery and forced labor, worked excessively long hours with faulty equipment and were subjected to abuse – including racist language.

Furthermore, the claimants were denied permission to legally enter the United Kingdom even while the ship was in port, and were forced to live in grossly unsanitary conditions without access to safe drinking water, adequate food or medical treatment.

Human trafficking

Law firm Leigh Day represented the group of fishermen in legal proceedings, in which the men argued that the Home Office had breached their rights, protected by Article 4 of the ECHR, by failing to have systems in place to protect their rights and the rights of contract seafarers like them against human trafficking. human trafficking, modern slavery and forced labour.

The claimants argued that the Home Office had also failed to identify that they were at real and immediate risk of trafficking and exploitation and had failed to take steps to protect them, including by removing them from that situation or risk out of that situation.

Speaking on behalf of the group, one of the rescued sailors said: “Being stuck on that boat felt like a nightmare. We worked day and night. The conditions were unbearable – there was no dignity, no respect for us as human beings.

“I am grateful that we were finally rescued, but the scars of that time are still with me. This settlement is a step toward justice, but no amount of money can erase the suffering we have endured. I hope that by speaking out we can help prevent this from happening to others.”

Leigh Day, working with Doughty Street Chambers, used documented incidents of exploitation within the fishing industry by seafarer charities and the media to highlight the vulnerability of migrant seafarers.

Position of vulnerability

These reports show how migrant seafarers on transit visas have no legal immigration status or legal employment rights in Britain and how ship owners rely on this vulnerable position in their exploitation of the migrant seafarers.

The law firm successfully settled each claimant’s case for damages in excess of £20,000.

Stephanie Hill, human rights partner at Leigh Day, said the claim raised serious concerns about the adequacy of government systems to protect migrant workers from exploitation – a problem she said remains widespread in the fishing sector.

“Our clients have shown great courage in bringing this claim and this settlement is an important step forward in recognizing the harm our clients have suffered.she added. “The conditions under which they had to work were horrendous: working long hours without rest, being constantly intimidated and deprived of basic necessities such as safe drinking water.

“This case underlines the need for stronger legal safeguards to prevent these types of abuses from happening again.”

Meanwhile, last month, modern slavery victims were forced to work for a bread manufacturerwhich supplied products to major British supermarkets.