In The Chief Constable of Surrey Police v SK David Reader, instructed by Weightmans Solicitors (for a joint taskforce from Sussex & Surrey Police) secured a Slavery & Trafficking Risk Order under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 against an individual, ‘SK’. The case focused on the exploitation of young people groomed to work in ‘County Lines’ organised crime gangs.
The fully contested final hearing took a hybrid form with the Judge sitting in court, advocates appearing via the Cloud Video Platform, and parties / witnesses appearing via both telephone and video-link.
Only eight such orders (STROs in respect of County Lines drugs matters) have been secured in the UK, with only two granted by courts in the South-East.
