Bedfordshire slavery investigation: Man aged 51 charged

A 51-year-old man has been charged as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged slavery offences at a travellers' site near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.Tommy Connors (senior) was charged with 11 offences of conspiracy to place people in servitude or forced labour.He was remanded in custody to appear before magistrates in Luton on Monday.The charges follow a police raid at the Greenacre site, Great Billington, on 11 September.Twenty-four men were found living in cramped conditions in caravans, sheds and horse boxes during the raid.On 22 September Josie Connors, 30, appeared before Luton Magistrates' Court accused of keeping persons in servitude and false labour.She was granted bail on condition that she lives with her family at the Greenacre Caravan Park.Mrs Connors' brothers, James (Jimmy), 23, Tommy, 27 and Patrick, 19, together with Josie's husband James (Big Jim), 33, have been remanded in custody on similar charges.Earlier in September, another family member, Johnny Connors, 30, was also remanded in custody to appear at Luton Crown Court on 5 December.