Soton lecturer arrested on suspicion of keeping a Polish builder as a ‘slave’ in garden shed for four years

A Southampton lecturer has been arrested on suspicion of keeping a man in their shed for four years to work on an extension at their home.

The £1.2 million home of Health Sciences lecturer, Pritpal Binning, and her husband was raided as part of a modern slavery probe in Chilworth, near Southampton after a Polish man was found in “degrading and disgusting” conditions in a garden shed.

The outside of the garden shed

It has been reported that concerned NHS staff contacted police after the man visited a walk-in centre. He told police he had been sleeping on a plastic sun lounger in a shed at the bottom of the garden, which had no flushing toilet, and was forced to work in exchange for food, with only a barbecue and a fridge for a kitchen.

Inside where the man was living

According to a senior investigator at the GLAA, no one in the 21st Century should have to live in such "degrading and disgusting conditions", and that the investigation is "ongoing" and evidence from the property is being assessed. Meanwhile the Binning's have been released pending further investigation.

The village of Chilworth

A neighbour of the Binning's claims they have lived on the street for around 20 years, and always found them to be a "nice couple", so the police cars outside his home left him "shocked".

Upon release, Pritpal Binning refused to speak about her arrest, only to tell reporters: "I know why you're here. We're not going to talk. You just want a story, I'm not going to talk about it."

Mrs Binning has been a health sciences lecturer at Southampton since 1998, specialising in adult nursing; particularly respiratory, cardiovascular and high dependency care. She was even praised in a 2013 university newsletter which read: "Congratulations to Pritpal Binning who has passed her Masters in Education with a stunning 82 per cent".

Hampshire Police refused to confirm the names of those arrested when contacted, however Pritpal Binning and her husband have been named locally.