Slavery victims worked at McDonalds near Cambridge
Ernest Drevenak, 46, and Veronika Bubencikova, 46, lured six vulnerable men from the Czech Republic with false promises of work and accommodation
A couple who exploited six vulnerable men working at Mcdonald's near Cambridge have been jailed.
Ernest Drevenak, 46, and Veronika Bubencikova, 46, began exploiting the men in 2015, a scheme which continued until police were alerted in 2019. The victims, all of whom were either homeless or living in low-income situations in the Czech Republic, were promised work and accommodation in the UK.
Associates of Drevenak and Bubencikova arranged transport for the men, who were offered jobs at a restaurant on the A428 in Caxton Gibbet. Upon their arrival, the couple assisted them with paperwork, interviews, and online tests. However, all wages earned by the victims were deposited into bank accounts controlled by Drevenak and Bubencikova.
The victims were paid only between £40-120 every two weeks, despite working 12 to 16-hour shifts. The rest of their earnings were retained by the couple. The victims were housed in overcrowded properties, including the couple’s home in Upper Cambourne, where six men shared a single room.
When the men were not at work, they were forced to undertake various tasks, such as cleaning and gardening, for Drevenak and Bubencikova. In addition to exploiting their labour, the couple fraudulently applied for benefits in the victims' names, including tax credits, by falsifying claims about children in their care. The total amount stolen by the couple over four years is estimated to exceed £200,000.
In October 2019, authorities received a tip-off about the exploitation occurring at the restaurant. Police interviewed the victims, and four of the men left with officers immediately. Two others later joined them. The victims were provided with support through the National Referral Mechanism, which offers protection to victims of modern slavery.
Drevenak and Bubencikova were arrested following the investigation and were found guilty of multiple charges, including holding a person in servitude, facilitating travel for exploitation, and fraud by false representation. In December 2022, Drevenak was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in prison, while Bubencikova received a ten-and-a-half-year sentence.
Detective Constable Nick Webber stated: “This case demonstrates that slavery can happen anywhere. Drevenak and Bubencikova preyed on vulnerable people, promising them a better life, while in reality, they were exploiting them for financial gain.”
Further information on modern slavery and the signs to look out for can be found on the Victim and Witness Hub website.