Pritpal Binning, 56, and her husband Palvinder, 54, are suspected of keeping the Polish man in a shed with a sun lounger for a bed at their luxury home in Hampshire
THIS is the university lecturer arrested alongside her husband for allegedly keeping a Polish builder as a slave in their garden shed for four years.
Pritpal Binning, 56, and her husband Palvinder, 54, are suspected of keeping the frail Polish man in the tiny shed with a sun lounger for a bed and no toilet.
The builder told authorities he was being forced to carry out work by the British pair in exchange for out of date food.
He told staff at an NHS walk-in centre who alerted officers from the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).
They raided the address in leafy Chilworth, near Southampton - home to several Premier League footballers - and found evidence of "disgusting and degrading" living conditions.
The "vulnerable" Polish man, who has not been named, told GLAA officers he had been forced to live in the freezing concrete shed for four years.
Mrs Binning has worked as a health sciences lecturer at Southampton University for more than 20 years.
She is alleged to have stopped the Polish man talking to neighbours while forcing him to carry out building work and other domestic tasks.
Speaking at her home, she said: "I know why you're here. We're not going to talk.
"You just want a story, I'm not going to talk about it."
It is alleged the man had just a fridge and barbecue to use as a kitchen and had been kept to carry out building work.
The gated home stood open today in the aftermath of the raid, with a golden post box next to a house name sign.
A male neighbour in his 40s, said he had seen a white man working around the five-bedroom property but was shocked to hear of the allegations about the 'nice' couple.
He said: "I did go round there once, a few years back. They've lived here for at least 20 years - they were certainly nice when I went round there.
"I have seen a white guy walking past my house with a trailer full of rubbish. He stopped to talk to my gardener once and she [Pritpal] came out and told him off for chatting.
"The house has changed a lot now, the building work has been going on for about a year now but that particular man was around before that."
Officers said they seized evidence which may "prove critical" to the investigation.
GLAA senior investigating officer Tony Byrne said: "First and foremost, we are pleased that the man is now receiving the help and support he so desperately needs.
"In the 21st century, no-one should be forced to live in such degrading and disgusting conditions.
"We received a referral from a local walk in centre who had spotted the signs, the individual was vulnerable, he wasn't responding as expected and so they reported their findings to us.
"Two persons have been arrested. There's a large amount of building work which corroborates what our potential victim has told us.
"Just down the bottom of the garden there in a concrete shed, it's absolutely freezing in there, there's no bedding and no sanitary conditions there at all, there's no toilet.
"I would like to praise the NHS staff who reported their concerns. It’s really important that people get in touch if they believe someone is being exploited."
The GLAA confirmed the Polish man has been admitted to the National Referral Mechanism, a process for ensuring victims of modern slavery and human trafficking are given help and support.
Both suspects have been released while investigations continue.
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