Five to stand trial over Govanhill prostitution ring

Three men and two women accused of trafficking women into Scotland for prostitution will stand trial later this year. The five accused are on an indictment listing a total of 33 charges.

Prosecutors at the High Court in Glasgow  allege that women were brought over from Slovakia and held in “slavery or servitude”.

The allegations span from 2011 to 2017 mainly centring on flats in Glasgow's Govanhill.

One accusation includes a claim the five paid one woman's parents “money in exchange for control of her”.

Vojtech Gombar, 60, Anil Wagle, 37,, Jana Sandorova, 28, Sylvia Racova, 42, and Ratislav Adam, 31, all deny the charges against them.

The five are all accused of “conspiring to commit crimes of trafficking people for exploitation”.

The charge claims they did “discuss plans to purchase or obtain control and ownership of women” from Slovakia and elsewhere in the UK.

The allegation further states the suspects did arrange for others “to come and inspect” the females with a view to buying them.

It is also claimed they did “traffic in prostitution” during the six years.

The accusations are said to have been “aggravated by a connection with serious and organised crime”.

The trial is expected to last for eight weeks.

Judge Lady Stacey said: “I am proposing to set a trial for the High Court in Glasgow from August 27 for as long as it takes. I think we have to assume it will last for approximately two months.,

Defence counsel for the five – who live at a number of addresses in Govanhill – have pled not guilty.

All five are on bail.

• Govanhill