Heavily Pregnant Woman In Court

22 September 2011, 11:31 | Updated: 22 September 2011, 11:59

A woman - a week away from giving birth - has appeared in court charged with slavery offences following a raid on a travellers' site.

A dawn raid on at the Green Acres site near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire on Sunday 11 September 2011 involved more than 200 police officers.  It uncovered 24 slaves living in horse boxes, tiny caravans, sheds and dog kennels.

Josie Connors, 30, (below) who lives at the site at Little Billington and is due to give birth to her third child on 30 September 2011, is accused of two counts of keeping a person in servitude and two of false labour.

At Luton Magistrates Court on Thursday 22 September, District Judge Nicholas Leigh-Smith granted Josie Connors bail on condition that she lives at the site, except when giving birth at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury.

She is also forbidden from contacting two witnesses and can only allow family members to live at her address.

Josie's brothers James Connors, 23, Tommy, 27 and Patrick, 19 were remanded in custody on similar charges along with Josie's husband James, 33.

Another family member, Johnny Connors, 30, was also remanded in custody on Tuesday 20 September.

All six will appear at Luton Crown Court on 5 December 2011.

A 61 year old woman and a 51 year old man were also arrested on Tuesday 20 September as part of the investigation.