Luton man and woman charged with keeping slave

Bedfordshire Police was alerted to concerns about a woman believed to have been trafficked from the Manchester area to an address in Luton.

Officers attended the address where the woman was found. The woman was taken care of – given both support as well as alternative accommodation.

Mihail-Rafail Ghiunghius, 36, and Christina Elena Nitoiu, 22, both of Reginald Street, Luton, were charged on Saturday, March 4, with holding a person in slavery and arranging the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

Ghiunghius was also charged with rape in connection with the same incident.

They are due to attend a further court hearing on 3 April.

A 26-year-old man from Luton also arrested was subsequently bailed pending further enquiries.