SEVEN people, including five members of the same family, have been convicted in one of the North-East’s worst examples of human trafficking and modern day slavery.

Those targeted by the Newcastle-based Rafael family were forced to sleep in cellars and crammed into shared rooms, put out to work and received a fraction of the pay they earned as they were not allowed control over their bank accounts, a trial heard.

Teesside Crown Court was told how members of the Rafael family, headed up by Roman Rafael, applied for benefits in the names of their victims after arranging national insurance numbers, and kept the money themselves.

Victims were picked up from Slovakia and the Czech Republic and offered flights to the UK and work, but were then enslaved, the court heard.

So while they were not chained or bound they were effectively held captive, in a country they did not know, where they didn’t speak the language, and they had no independence - and were kept in a state of fear and intimidation.

The Rafael family are from a Romany community in Slovakia, which has its own dialect.

The defendants, spanning three generations, were prosecuted for offences against eight victims, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Diane Spence from the CPS said: "This family systematically targeted desperate and destitute people with the false promise of good work, fair wages and accommodation.

"The victims thought they would be able to earn money to send home to their families. Instead, the Rafaels enslaved them and treated them as nothing more than property to be passed around for financial gain.

"This was a challenging and lengthy trial and it is thanks to the brave testimony of the victims that the defendants have been brought to justice."

Angelica Chec, 30, formerly of Farndale Road, Ruzena Rafaelova 37, formerly of Brighton Grove, Juraj Rafael 38, of Bilbrough Gardens and a 17-year-old who cannot be identified, were all convicted of conspiracy to commit slavery, conspiracy to traffic persons with a view to their exploitation and conspiracy to commit money laundering, the CPS said.

Ruzena Rafaelova, 58, formerly of Strathmore Crescent, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit slavery and conspiracy to commit money laundering, the CPS added.

Roman Rafael, 33, and Marian Rafael, 39, had earlier pleaded guilty.

Stefan Rafael, 62, formerly of Strathmore Crescent, was cleared of all charges against him, the CPS said.

The recruitment agencies and factories where the victims worked were also unwitting victims in this case and had no knowledge of the criminality that was being undertaken. They paid the victims correctly and legally, police said.

Lead investigator in the case, Detective Inspector Sally MacDonald said: “Northumbria Police is committed to safeguarding those in our communities who are vulnerable, and victims of modern day slavery, trafficking and associated offences are among the most vulnerable we find.

“We hope today’s guilty verdicts, along with the earlier guilty pleas from the group’s ringleaders, will send a clear message that we will bring those who prey on the vulnerability of others to justice.

“Those responsible lead a life of luxury, enjoying holidays abroad and parties, financed by the money stolen from their victims.”

She added: “It is thanks to the bravery of the victims and work with partners that we have been able to secure these convictions.

"Those involved include Newcastle Local Authority, HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions and Immigration, Crown Prosecution Service, NHS, British Red Cross, Hope for Justice and Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority.

“However, this important work does not end with this trial.

"We continue to proactively target offenders profiting from these sickening crimes, while supporting victims through the activity we do in the name of Sanctuary.

“We all have a responsibility to help tackle modern day slavery, an offence which is often hidden from public view. We therefore rely on the vigilance of people in our local communities to report any suspicious behaviour to us, so we can take action.”

The gang will be sentenced on April 27.