A Practical Guide to Representing Possible Victims of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Who Offend

Introduction

Human trafficking and modern slavery are urgent challenges that demand precise and principled responses. Navigating the intersection of victimhood and criminal culpability can be fraught with legal and ethical complexity.

This in-person course will alert practitioners, and those who engage with victims, to the indicators of slavery and trafficking. With opportunities for interaction, the course will identify the components of trafficking and what to do procedurally, evidentially, and in an advisory capacity to ensure the people are prosecuted only in appropriate circumstances and that people are properly defended.

Join Ben Douglas-Jones KC for practical, step-by-step guidance to the duties of police, prosecutors, and defence practitioners. Sharpen your legal instincts, and ensure justice is both fair and fully informed.

What You Will Learn

This course will cover the following:

• How to spot indicators of trafficking
• How the National Referral Mechanism should be used in criminal proceedings
• When the NRM process should not slow down the case
• The section 52 Modern Slavery Act 2015 duties of police officers and other agencies
• How the Crown Prosecution Service four stage test for prosecuting suspects who are victims of trafficking and slavery who commit criminal acts
• How to assess evidence when duress or a modern slavery defence
• What evidence should be considered to advance or undermine the defence case
• How stage 4 and the public interest work
• Schedule 4 excluded offences
• The dominant force of compulsion v the seriousness of the offence
• Case law