Couple jailed after making man live under stairs

A couple who treated their vulnerable housemate with "contempt and cruelty" by forcing him to live under the stairs and wash outdoors have been jailed.

Ion Boboc and Christiana Tudor-Dobre of Evans Close, Bristol, were convicted of a modern slavery offence in February.

Bristol Crown Court jurors heard the pair made the man go to the toilet in nearby woods.

Boboc, 26, was jailed for four years, two months and Tudor-Dobre, 24, was given three years and seven months.

The couple, who are originally from Romania, were also found guilty of fraud.

Boboc was sentenced to three years and Tudor-Dobre to two years and eight months.

The terms will run concurrently with their sentences for requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Sentencing the couple, Judge Paul Cook said "the pair of you operated as a team", causing "psychological stress, frustration and harm".

He said their treatment of the 31-year-old victim, who is also Romanian, had turned to "contempt and cruelty" and they were "funding their own greed" taking £23,000 from his bank account.

Christiana Tudor-Dobre, 24, was heard laughing on a video of the victim being made to eat a sandwich full of chillies

Ion Boboc, 26, was found guilty of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour and fraud

Police discovered the victim when they raided the property in St Anne's, Bristol, in July after being tipped off by concerned neighbours.

During the trial, the court was told the victim was made to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs and was refused permission to use the bathroom.

He was also prevented from using the kitchen and made to eat outside in all weathers.

Video footage shown in police evidence at the trial showed the man being forced to eat a hot chilli sandwich, as Tudor-Dobre cackled at his discomfort.

Jurors were shown pictures of the space in which the victim was forced to sleep

The victim was photographed by neighbours washing clothes by hand