UN judge breaks down in tears over slavery charges

Lydia Mugambe is a United Nations and High Court judge

A United Nations judge was in tears as she was asked about allegations that she deceived a young woman into coming to the UK to work as her slave.

Lydia Mugambe denied the accusations being put to her while giving evidence at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday.

Becoming emotional, she took tissues to wipe her face and said: "I'm sorry but it's too much", adding "you can't just take lies" and "we worked for our careers".

Ms Mugambe is accused of stopping the young Ugandan woman from holding down steady employment and taking "advantage of her status" over her.

The 49-year-old, who was studying for a PhD in law at Oxford University at the time, denies four charges against her.

Ms Mugambe, who is also a High Court judge in Uganda, is alleged to have forced her to work as her maid and provide childcare.

'Misrepresentations'

During Thursday's proceedings, Ms Mugambe's defence barrister, Paul Raudnitz KC, asked her if she arranged the woman's travel intending to exploit her in the UK.

The defendant replied: "I never exploited [the woman] in Uganda, why would I exploit her in the UK?"

She then became emotional, and carried on speaking through tears.

Ms Mugambe was then asked if the woman ever "worked under a threat of penalty or consequence from you", to which she replied "no".

When asked if she had ever agreed with others to "intimidate [the woman] to stop her giving evidence" during the trial, she replied: "No, I would never do that."

Earlier on Thursday, Ms Mugambe told jurors she was "emotional because I was in shock" after she attended a police station voluntarily and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of human trafficking.

The defendant acknowledged that "when the police first came to me I made some misrepresentations", having been asked if she had lied by Caroline Haughey KC, prosecuting.

Ms Haughey said the "misrepresentations" were "lies", adding: "They're not flexible facts, they're deliberate untruths."

The prosecution said Ms Mugambe's explanation was that she had been "shielding people" was "another lie", adding that "the person you were shielding was yourself".

Ms Mugambe retorted that the prosecution's claim was "not true".

"My understanding was, if I said she's not supposed to be here, it would get her in trouble," the defendant told the court.

Ms Mugambe denies conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law, facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.

The trial continues.