University lecturer and her husband arrested after police find 'slave' living in their garden shed

Police have launched a slavery investigation against a university lecturer and his wife after a frail man lived in their garden for four years.

Officers say they found the Polish man, in a shed after raiding the home in the leafy Southampton suburb of Chilworth.

The man, thought to be in his 40s, had been forced to work in exchange for food.

He was said to be sleeping in a plastic sun lounger in the shed, with no flushing toilet.

He was also given out-of-date food to eat. Conditions were ‘degrading and disgusting’, said police.

The suspects were named as Pritpal Binning and her husband Palvinder.

Pritpal is a health sciences lecturer at the University of Southampton. She has worked there for 20 years.

The couple have been released under investigation pending further inquiries, said police.

Officers were alerted by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), after they were tipped-off by NHS staff.

‘First and foremost, we are pleased that the man is now receiving the help and support he so desperately needs,’ said the GLAA’s Tony Byrne.

‘In the 21st century, no-one should be forced to live in such degrading and disgusting conditions.

‘Following the two arrests we made, our investigation is ongoing as we examine and assess the evidence we collected from the property.’

It is not an isolated case.

Police in Cumbria last month found a man of 79 who had been living in a shed for the past 40 years.

A recent study found that the UK could have up to 136,000 modern slaves living in the country.