The guidelines cover two main offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015: ‘holding someone in slavery, servitude and forced labour’; and ‘human trafficking’, including recruiting, harbouring, receiving or transferring people cross-border.
The most severe penalties would be reserved for those in a leading role who stand to make substantial financial gain and who expose victims to an extremely high risk of death, serious physical, sexual or psychological harm, or substantial and long-term adverse impact. The draft guidelines recognise the psychological as well as physical and financial harm suffered by victims. They recognise that the harm caused may not be obvious, and victims may be unwilling to give evidence.
Sentencing Council chairman Lord Justice Holroyde said: ‘These offences in their current form are still relatively new but the courts are seeing increasing volumes of them.’
Justice Minister Chris Philp said: ‘The inhumanity of those who target and enslave the vulnerable for personal profit must be adequately reflected in the sentences they receive.
‘These guidelines will ensure that the thugs and criminal gangs found responsible are properly punished for the misery in which they trade.’
The consultation ends on 15 January 2021.
