22/11/2013

Rescued Women Held As Slaves For 30 years

Three woman have been discovered after allegedly being held as slaves for 30 years.

It emerged on Thursday that on October 25, a 69-year-old Malaysian woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 30-year-old British woman were rescued from a house in Lambeth, south London.

It is understood that the women were discovered when the 57-year-old Irish woman made a phone call to the London-based Freedom Charity.

According to reports the woman had secretly gained access to a phone, which led to a series of calls between her and the charity.

The charity is understood to have informed police of the women's situation, and used the series of telephone calls to make planes for the women to leave the house when its occupants were not in.

Police and representatives of the charity met the women as the left the house and moved them to a "safe location".

According to police reports, a man and a woman, both aged 67 and understood to be man and wife, were subsequently arrested in connection with the women's captivity. They have since been bailed until January.

Full details of the case are still emerging.

(MH/CD)

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