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This is a summary of a case involving allegations of modern slavery and mistreatment of Ghanaian migrant fishermen aboard the Scottish fishing trawler *Sea Lady*, operated by TN Trawlers based in Annan, Scotland.
**Key points:**
– **Victims:** Joshua Amissah and other Ghanaian fishermen were employed on the *Sea Lady* under harsh conditions.
– **Abuse:** The crew were subjected to long hours of continuous work without adequate rest or food. They had to organize secret sleeping schedules themselves and often ate fish and octopus caught by the dredges due to lack of proper meals.
– **Treatment:** Amissah testified that the skipper, Tom Nicholson Jr (son of company owner Thomas Nicholson), openly referred to them as “slaves” and claimed it was a deliberate attitude passed down from his father.
– **Legal Proceedings:** After a lengthy nine-year fight, Tom Nicholson Jr admitted to failing to provide adequate food, rest, or training for these fishermen during months in 2017. His father, Thomas Nicholson Sr, admitted breaching a human trafficking court order.
– **Injury helping escape:** Another crew member, Augustus Mensah, was injured onboard during rough weather, hitting his head. This incident led to medical treatment on shore, which prompted police involvement and ultimately catalyzed the investigation known as “Operation Feature.”
– **Outcomes:** Tom Nicholson Jr changed his plea to guilty and will be sentenced soon. The case was prosecuted under maritime health and safety laws, but started as a human trafficking investigation.
– **Media:** The case and abuse suffered by these fishermen have been documented in BBC documentaries, raising awareness of modern slavery in UK fishing industries.
If you need more specific information or have questions about any part of this case, feel free to ask!
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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