Couple compelled girls into prostitution with ‘eight shoppers a day’ in trafficking ring
Costel Tambac and Marianna Iova took mobile phones and identity documents from women they forced to work for them after they had been trafficked from Romania
A vile pair who coerced young women into prostitution in Leeds have been jailed.
Costel Tambac, 50, and his partner Marianna Iova, 35, seized mobile phones and identification documents from women they enslaved after trafficking them from Romania, Leeds Crown Court was told on Friday (November 7).
Prosecutor Connor QuinnAnother woman, aged 25 at the time, was put on the vehicle by a man she believed she was romantically involved with, reports Leeds Live.
Prosecutor Quinn detailed: “The minibus took the two women to the defendants’ home in Wolverhampton. Upon arrival, cash was paid by Tambac to the trafficker who delivered them. In a sign of things to come, he asked the first girl whether she had bought pretty dresses to impress the clients with and broke her mobile phones.
“Ms Iova then took possession of the other girl’s identity card. There were already young women present at the defendants’ home and those two were told to work there as prostitutes alongside these women. They were threatened and Costel Tambac was particularly aggressive. From this point onwards, the defendants would slap and punch them on a daily basis.”
The court was told the women were compelled to engage in sexual activity with “six to eight clients” daily, and were relocated repeatedly by Tambac and Iova across Leeds, Nottingham, Oldham and Liverpool.
It was revealed they would reside in separate quarters within the properties from Tambac, Iova, and their young child.
Mr Quinn stated: “Costel Tambac also drove the women to visit clients out of the house. The money paid for the services was handed straight to the defendants. The girls saw very little of this revenue themselves. They were given next to nothing by the defendants.”
The court was informed that throughout the period of offending, Iova spent £30,000 on adverts for the women working under her on websites.
Mr Quinn added: “There were occasions when the police attended residences where the defendants and the travelling group of women were.”
It was heard that one victim managed to break free from Tambac and Iova’s control with assistance from a client.
In 2018, Tambac and Iova absconded from the UK whilst still under investigation.
Authorities secured international arrest warrants, and the duo were tracked down to Amsterdam where they were detained earlier this year and extradited back to the UK.
Tambac and Iova were subsequently convicted by a jury at Leeds Crown Court of two counts of sexual exploitation of a female victim contrary to the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and two counts of controlling prostitution for gain contrary to Section 53 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Speaking in mitigation for Tambac, Mu’Min Iran Muhammad Hashim argued that the victims possessed keys to the premises, enabling one to flee.
He stated: “In the others’ evidence, the court may recall that she confirmed she had been in sex work prior to coming to th UK. She had a phone. When you say that they didn’t. they did.”
He continued: “When the police had opportunities with both of them alone, help was not taken. Evidence also suggest that at various times they did have access to their identity documents and mobile phones for communication. There are aspects of the evidence that they could have asked for assistance, but they didn’t.”
Representing Iova, Dhaneshwar Sharma highlighted the couple’s family circumstances, telling the court: “You are aware that she and Costel Tambac have a young child together…The consequences of them being incarcerated is that the young child is now absent of both parents…In my submission, it can’t be downplayed the significant impact that will happen to a young child who has the absence of both parents.
“She is from a part of Romania where the socio-economic circumstances are often difficult, but all the more difficult for women, because they are still treated as second-class citizens. Given her lack of formal education, the behaviour that she displayed during the operation, is something that she doesn’t have an insight into. You may take the view that having read the pre-sentence report, whereby she continues to maintain her innocence, which is her right if she so wishes, it clearly is reflective of her lack of education and insight into the offending. Her issue is she has always made her own money from her own work.”
Mr Dhaneshwar informed the court that there existed no “medical evidence” or “phone evidence” of any injuries.
He stated: “When the authorities attended the address, there was no suggestion by anyone that they noticed any injuries… She herself was a sex worker.”
His Honour Judge Stubbs sentenced Tambac to nine years imprisonment and Iova to eight years.
He explained that should they avoid deportation following completion of their custodial terms, they would remain on licence within the community.
He additionally imposed a slavery and trafficking protection order upon them. Following the sentencing, Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Helen Steele at West Yorkshire Police, expressed: “First and foremost, my thoughts go out to the victims who suffered an horrendous ordeal. They were brought over to the UK under false pretences by organised criminals where they were sold as a commodity to be financially and sexually exploited through controlled prostitution.”
She added: “I hope the guilty verdicts together with the sentences handed down today will bring them some comfort as they continue with the process of rebuilding their lives. I would also like to thank them for their bravery, their patience and their resilience as we pursued our investigation.
“Our investigation was complex and began nine years ago when one of the victims came forward. It was the first ever investigation for West Yorkshire Police to conduct as a Joint Investigation Team with the Romanian authorities, who I would also like to thank as it meant we could maximise all investigational opportunities.”
She concluded: “The Joint Investigation Team also led to the Romanian authorities convicting the people responsible for trafficking the victims to the UK. A successful prosecution would not have been possible without the assistance of colleagues in Romania.”
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