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| Unpaid servant lived in cupboard | Unpaid servant lived in cupboard |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A woman who smuggled an unpaid servant into the UK and forced her to sleep in a cupboard has been jailed for two and a half years at Harrow Crown Court. | A woman who smuggled an unpaid servant into the UK and forced her to sleep in a cupboard has been jailed for two and a half years at Harrow Crown Court. |
| Mary Tontoh, 61, of Wembley, north London, used promises of a well-paid job and a university education to lure Elizabeth Adone, 20, from Ghana. | Mary Tontoh, 61, of Wembley, north London, used promises of a well-paid job and a university education to lure Elizabeth Adone, 20, from Ghana. |
| But for two years she was forced to work as a domestic servant without pay. | But for two years she was forced to work as a domestic servant without pay. |
| Tontoh was found guilty in June of assisting unlawful entry into the UK but cleared of people trafficking. | Tontoh was found guilty in June of assisting unlawful entry into the UK but cleared of people trafficking. |
| Tontoh was also convicted of possessing a fake Nigerian passport. | Tontoh was also convicted of possessing a fake Nigerian passport. |
| During the trial the court heard how Miss Adone cooked and cleaned as well as looked after Tontoh's adopted nine-year-old son while she was in Ghana. | |
| I had the mattress in there and some of my things there. I could sleep in there but I had to fold my legs Elizabeth Adone | I had the mattress in there and some of my things there. I could sleep in there but I had to fold my legs Elizabeth Adone |
| Miss Adone told jurors she had to wash clothes by hand and scrounge for food and clothes from friends and neighbours as she had no money. | Miss Adone told jurors she had to wash clothes by hand and scrounge for food and clothes from friends and neighbours as she had no money. |
| "My family were happy when I was coming here because they thought I would continue my schooling and get a job," she said. | "My family were happy when I was coming here because they thought I would continue my schooling and get a job," she said. |
| For several months she lived in a tiny cupboard while her boss, who owns a large house in a rich suburb of the Ghanaian capital Accra, denied her any wages. | For several months she lived in a tiny cupboard while her boss, who owns a large house in a rich suburb of the Ghanaian capital Accra, denied her any wages. |
| Describing her living conditions, she said: "I had the mattress in there and some of my things there. I could sleep in there but I had to fold my legs." | Describing her living conditions, she said: "I had the mattress in there and some of my things there. I could sleep in there but I had to fold my legs." |
| Sentencing, Judge Nic Madge said: "The extent of the exploitation was shown by the fact that for the final months you told Elizabeth Adone to sleep in the meter cupboard. | Sentencing, Judge Nic Madge said: "The extent of the exploitation was shown by the fact that for the final months you told Elizabeth Adone to sleep in the meter cupboard. |
| "On top of this you also arranged day-time cleaning jobs for her, one at Willesden bus garage." | "On top of this you also arranged day-time cleaning jobs for her, one at Willesden bus garage." |
| The victim is still living in the UK and a decision about her future has yet to be made. | The victim is still living in the UK and a decision about her future has yet to be made. |