London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

Bristol slavery victims recount 'horrendous' abuse

Bristol slavery victims recount 'horrendous' abuse

A pregnant woman has recounted the "horrendous" conditions she endured as a modern slavery victim.

Maros Tancos tricked the victim and numerous other vulnerable Slovaks into coming to the UK with the promise of a better life.

But instead Tancos and co-conspirator Joanna Gomulska, of Bristol, used them as slaves.

The pair were jailed on Wednesday after being found guilty of modern slavery and human trafficking offences.

The woman, who gave birth while working for the couple, said: "I knew I could not leave, there was nothing I could do."

She spoke as Tancos was jailed for 16 years and Gomulska nine years at Bristol Crown Court.

The trial heard how they kept vulnerable Slovakians as slaves - forcing them to work at their car wash during the day and other jobs at night - and spent their earnings on gambling, buying cars and funding their lavish lifestyles.

One female victim said they had "no life" under the couple's control and were kept in a squalid bedroom


National Crime Agency investigators found that Tancos and Gomulska failed to pay a minimum of £923,835 in wages, calculated as if Tancos had paid his victims minimum wage for eight hours a day

Jailing them, Judge Martin Picton said their victims "represented a cash value to you in a way cattle would to a farm".

The pair "trapped" their victims into forced labour "solely for the financial benefit" of themselves, he added.

The woman - who has since returned to her home country - said that she had a "good life" in Slovakia and came to the UK to get a better job.

She said she did not know Tancos or Gomulska before arriving but was told that "everything will be provided".

Despite her working numerous jobs, Tancos - who controlled his victims' bank accounts - only ever paid her €200 (£171).

"We didn't have time to sleep," she explained.

"We were working, we had some food then we went to bed and then we had to go to work."


'Cattle on a farm' - Points West Home Affairs Correspondent Charlotte Callen


Tancos and Gomulska were told they'd seen their victims in terms of their cash value - using them like "cattle on a farm".

The pair used the proceeds to pay for cars and second homes while their victims lived in squalid conditions.

Police believe the victims are owed at least £1million in lost earnings that Tancos and Gomulska stole from them.

Today marks the end of a five-year investigation by the NCA into their crimes and will hopefully give their victims at least some sense that justice has been served.

The woman said she slept in one room with five or six other women, while between six and seven men slept in the attic.

Tancos controlled their lives so much that they had to ask permission to go to the shop, she said.

All this abuse meant that her daughter was "very poorly" when she was born because they were living in a room with no bed and only a "mattress on the floor".

"When my baby was born it was undernourished, it was horrendous," she explained.

"I was always waiting for things to get better (but) I knew deep inside he was a fraudster."

The slavery victims were made to sleep in cramped conditions


Another victim said the house appeared nice at first but it soon "became a gate to hell" when they discovered that life would not be as they imagined.

"I went there because I wanted to provide for my family and give them more than what they had in Slovakia but the life that I had in Maros' house changed my life completely."

The victims would work all day in the car wash then have other jobs during the evening


Speaking since escaping the couples' control, the woman said she is "very happy" because her daughter was "very poorly" but has since recovered.

The trial heard that on arrival in the UK, the couple took their victims' identity documents and phones, meaning they could not travel independently or leave.

They were forced to work at the couple's car wash business during the day and perform other jobs at night.

Tancos and Gomulska kept their victims' bank cards and forced them to open bank accounts. They also applied for loans and credit cards in their names.

Between 2010 and 2017, almost £300,000 was transferred from their victims' accounts.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×