Two arrested for human trafficking

7:53am Tuesday 31st July 2007

A HUNGARIAN man and his girlfriend have been arrested after a teenage girl they forced to work as a prostitute was rescued from a Bolton house.

The terrified victim was lured from Hungary with the promise of a week-long holiday earlier this month. But she was kept against her will and taken to a house on several occasions where she was forced to have sex with men.

She managed to end her ordeal by using a phone to contact her family, who got in touch with the police.

Interpol were informed of the teenager's plight and officers from Greater Manchester Police's sexual crimes unit raided an address in Halliwell on Saturday morning.

A 48-year-old man was arrested at the house, where the victim was also being kept, and his 19-year-old girlfriend was arrested later that day.

Hungarian interpreters were brought in to allow detectives to take statements from the pair and from the victim.

The two were arrested on suspicion of causing prostitution for financial gain and human trafficking.

The man was also arrested on suspicion of rape.

Police were expected to apply for a warrant of further detention at court today.

A police source said: "This young woman was duped in to coming to the country and has been kept against her will.

"She took her chance to ring home and her family were able to tell police enough to trace her to Bolton."

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