Romanian couple jailed for trafficking women into Britain for prostitution

At Leeds Crown Court, Judge Andrew Stubbs KC described the women as being "effectively held captive", adding the couple pocketed "substantial sums", while the victims received "next to no money".

After being "essentially groomed" by different men, two Romanian women, aged 19 and 25, were handed over to Tambac and Iova in Wolverhampton in August 2016, the court heard.

Prosecutor Conor Quinn told Leeds Crown Court that the women had their identity documents taken, and Iova smashed one of the victim’s phones.

The victims were forced into prostitution within hours of arriving in the UK.

Tambac was described by the prosecutor as being "particularly aggressive" towards the women, kicking one of them after learning she had fallen pregnant.

The court heard the 50-year-old would drive the women to meet clients, where they were made to have sex with six to eight men each day.

The women, who did not speak English, were threatened with violence if they refused to obey, with Tambac alleged to have threatened to rape one of the victims.

Leeds Crown Court heard the couple frequently moved the women across England to stay ahead of the authorities.

After their home was visited by police, Mr Quinn noted that "the defendants controlled what the women told [officers]".

The court was told the women were warned that their families would be shot if they disclosed their ordeal.

The 19-year-old victim escaped the defendants in November 2016, but the 25-year-old woman remained under the couple's control until February 2018.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said the couple fled the country in 2018 after being placed under investigation by the authorities.

The Romanian nationals were tracked down and arrested in Amsterdam earlier this year, before being extradited to face justice in Britain.

They were later found guilty of two counts of sexual exploitation of a female victim contrary to the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and two counts of controlling prostitution for gain contrary.

Tambac was jailed for nine years, while Iova was sentenced to eight years behind bars.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Helen Steele, said: "My thoughts go out to the victims who suffered an horrendous ordeal.

“They were brought over to the UK under false pretences by organised criminals where they were sold as a commodity to be financially and sexually exploited through controlled prostitution.

“I hope the guilty verdicts together with the sentences handed down today will bring them some comfort as they continue with the process of rebuilding their lives.”

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