2015: Landmark conviction under s12 of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act
We continue to mark the 20th anniversary of the GLAA (formerly GLA) by looking at some key cases.
In 2015, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) achieved a landmark conviction under the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act.
The case involved a Lithuanian couple who entered the UK illegally, built a property empire, and ran a successful gangmaster business using a stolen identity. They operated from 2006 to 2010, setting up CV Staff Services to provide fieldworkers to harvest crops.
The couple used fake identities to obtain licences, mortgages, and build a property portfolio, facilitating work for hundreds in agriculture and horticulture in Lincolnshire and Humberside. Their business had an estimated turnover of £12 million.
The fraud was uncovered in 2011 when the fake Dutch passport used by Skarbalius expired. A joint investigation led to their conviction in June 2015. The conviction was the first of its kind in the UK under a previously unused section of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act relating to possession of a document known to be obtained improperly with the intention of leading people to believe they were properly licensed.
Skarbalius was sentenced to two-and-a-half years, and Skarbaliene to three years, with both disqualified as company directors for seven years. In November 2017 the pair were deported to their home country of Lithuania from the UK.
In 2017 Sheffield Crown Court heard how they had each received total benefits of £1 million from their criminal exploits. They were served with Confiscation Orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act on their available assets — £187,219.85 for Skarbalius and £231,687.68 for Skarbaliene.
The operation was a real team effort involving multiple GLAA departments and external agencies including Leicestershire Police and the CPS. The case highlights the importance of teamwork and inter-agency cooperation.
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