Romanian couple jailed for sex trafficking in Birmingham

A man and a woman from Birmingham have been jailed for sexually exploiting a Romanian woman who they tricked into coming to the UK.

Romanian nationals Ionut Nicolae and Vasillica Tirei lured the victim into leaving her homeland with a job offer.

She was then forced to work as a prostitute at a house in Birmingham and made to sleep with nearly 2,000 men.

At an earlier hearing, a jury at Birmingham Crown Court had returned unanimous guilty verdicts.

The man, Ionut Nicolae, 24, of Malvern Road, Handsworth, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years.

Vasillica Tirei, 26, also of Malvern Road, received a nine-year sentence.

'Fear of violence'

Hayley Firman, from the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said: "This conviction is a result of the overwhelming courage of the victim who did go to the police and give evidence against these defendants whose business was to induce her into leaving her family and friends on the false promise of earning money in Britain.

"Her reality was that she was isolated and forced into a life of prostitution against her will through fear of violence and retribution all for their own financial gain.

"It is a victory for her that justice has been done in this case.

"I would like to thank the victim and her family for the support that they have provided to the prosecution case.

"And I would like to urge anybody who is a victim of similar circumstances to contact the police as soon as possible as we will support you and ensure that individuals such as Nicolae and Tirei are brought to justice."