ESG Enforcement Tracker

Key facts:

An investigation by West Yorkshire Police culminated in the conviction of three individuals for offences involving the trafficking of women to the United Kingdom and their subsequent exploitation in sex work. The inquiry began in July 2016 after police received an anonymous letter, later confirmed to have been written by one of the victims.

The investigation established that Wieslaw Michniewicz and Aleksandra Timoszek recruited vulnerable women, primarily from Poland, by presenting false offers of employment in the UK. The women were told they would be working in roles such as childcare or were led to believe they were entering into a personal relationship. Travel to the UK and accommodation in Leeds were arranged by the defendants. Upon arrival, the women were informed that they had incurred a debt and were required to engage in sex work to repay it.

Multiple victims were identified during the investigation and were safeguarded by police. The offences were found to have taken place between December 2015 and September 2016. The evidence suggested that women were transported daily to massage premises in Leeds and Sheffield, where they were required to engage in sex work. They worked extended hours, with all earnings taken by the defendants. Mariusz Seretny was found to have played a supporting role by arranging travel, placing advertisements on sex‑work websites, and facilitating the transfer of funds outside the UK.

Following a trial at Leeds Crown Court, Michniewicz was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, Timoszek to seven and a half years’ imprisonment, and Seretny to five years’ imprisonment. The convictions related to offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Sexual Offences Act 2003.