A Southampton-based gangmaster has been sentenced for intentionally obstructing an officer of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA), after he was found to be housing Polish workers in unsafe conditions.

Jagjit Singh, who at the time of the offence was running the gangmaster business Saphire Trading Ltd, was sentenced to complete 200 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month Community Order and ordered to pay costs of £10,902.59 within six weeks by Southampton Magistrates Court.

While under investigation by the GLA, Singh initially denied that he provided accommodation to his workers.

However, he eventually provided a redacted list of properties and after a full list was demanded, the officer identified 348 Portswood Road, Southampton and established that Singh was housing Polish workers in a property deemed too dangerous for human habitation.

In addition to the obstruction, the GLA investigation also uncovered persistent and systematic exploitation of vulnerable workers and revoked the licence shortly after the investigation was complete.

Paul Whitehouse, chairman of the GLA, said: “Mr Singh made blatant attempts to mislead the GLA and hide the exploitation of his workers. He has not only lost his licence but faces significant costs and will have to complete 200 hours of unpaid work as a punishment.

“My officers quite rightly do not take the gangmasters word at face value. They always investigate thoroughly and are used to uncovering the lies and deceptions that are regularly used to hide the worst cases of exploitation.”

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