Man taken from Glasgow streets as homeless teenager and forced to work, court hears

A man was housed in a caravan with no running water or toilet while employed by a person nicknamed The Tank Commander, a court has heard.

James Keith was a homeless teenager in the 1990s before being taken off the streets and offered work.

The now 41 year-old went on to meet Robert McPhee and his family while staying at a number of travellers sites across Scotland.

McPhee got Mr Keith to help carry out jobs such as mono-blocking driveways.

But, he said he ended up feeling “owned” and allegedly suffered beatings when he tried to escape.

Jurors heard claims McPhee's son James later told Mr Keith that he had “bought” him from his father and could only leave for “a few grand”.

The witness recalled: “You had no option, but to go back. You did not get an option.”

The accusations were made at the High Court in Glasgow.

65 year-old Robert McPhee , 45 year-old James McPhee, 37 year-old Steven McPhee and 38 year-old John Miller face a total of 30 charges between them.

The allegations – which span from 1992 to 2016 – include slavery and violence.

The four deny all the charges.

Mr Keith was today the first witness to testify.

He recalled being homeless aged 16 when he was later approached by a man and asked was he looking for work.

The meeting occurred outside a pub at Glasgow's Barras Market.

Mr Keith ended up being taken to a travellers site close to the nearby Gallowgate.

It was there he met Robert McPhee, who he got to know as Bobby.

Prosecutor Kath Harper asked: “Did he have a nickname?”

Mr Keith: “Yes, Tank Commander.”

The witness stayed in a caravan that had no water or toilet meaning he had to use the facilities at a local cafe.

He started working for McPhee before moving to different sites in Glasgow including in the Hillington and Maryhill areas.

At one stage, Mr Keith had to sleep in the front of a truck.

They also moved to Larkhall, South Lanarkshire and Bathgate, West Lothian.

Miss Harper asked: “What was a typical day working for Bobby McPhee?”

He replied: “Slabbing and tarring...you worked until the job was finished.”

Mr Keith said he was “just paid whenever” as “that was the way it was”.

He went on to claim that McPhee would be violent if Mr Keith did not generate more work while out delivering leaflets.

He said: “Sometimes he was alright, other times he was horrible...shouting or hitting you.

“He would call me names like 'useless b**' and 'p****s'.”

Miss Harper asked: “What effect did it have?”

Mr Keith: “Not very nice...obviously scared.”

The court heard Mr Keith first tried to leave while staying at the site in Maryhill.

He went to a hostel, but told jurors he was “captured”.

Mr Keith recalled: “Bobby had come in looking for me. I went into a van because I had no option – that was just the way it was.”

The advocate depute: “Why did you get in the van?'

He replied: “Not any option as I would have got a doing and grabbed anyway, so it would not have mattered.”

Mr Keith said he got “battered” when they returned to the site.

The trial heard the man later ended up working for James McPhee.

It was alleged he told Mr Keith that he had “bought” him from his dad.

Miss Harper asked: “Looking back, what do you make of that?”

Mr Keith: “A lot of s***e. You can't do anything because you are apparently owned.

“I told a few people, but they did not believe me. They thought it was a made up fantasy.”

He added he considered going to the police, but had been “frightened”.

Miss Harper: “When you discussed with James McPhee that he apparently owned you, was there a suggestion how you could not work for him?”

Mr Keith: “Give him money...it would be a good few grand.”

The witness said he did not have cash and that he felt like a “bit of property”.

Mr Keith told the court that on an occasion in Bathgate he was stripped and locked in a shed by James McPhee after being out drinking.

He said he had been socialising with members of the McPhee family and others went out dancing but he didn't.

Mrs Harper asked why he didn't go and he said: “I had an argument, I got stripped and flung in a shed.”

Asked who he had an argument with he said “James”.

Mr Keith said he thought the argument was because he was “too drunk” but couldn't really remember.

Mrs Harper asked: “Can you remember whether it was cold when you were put in the shed naked?” and he answered: “Aye, freezing.”

He told jurors he broke out of the shed through a window.

Mr Keith also alleged James McPhee attacked him with what he called a “pick ice” during another argument.

He said McPhee paid a court fine for him then didn't give him his wages, which he wasn't happy about.

The witness claimed McPhee “just started swinging” it and it cut his wrist when he put his hands up.

Mrs Harper asked: “How deep was the cut?”

He replied: “I would say about an inch and a half, just missed a vein.”

During cross-examination by Robert McPhee's QC Ian Duguid, it was put to Mr Keith that McPhee worked in Aberdeen for part of the year including, in 1992.

Mr Keith said: “No, because he was in Hillington.”

He told jurors he knew and recognised Robert McPhee, when it was put to him that he didn't point him out at an identification parade he attended.

He said he was never asked to identify Robert McPhee.

The trial, before Lady Stacey, continues