McDonaldâs and supermarkets failed to spot slavery

Six members of a family-run human trafficking network from the Czech Republic have been convicted in two criminal trials delayed by the Covid pandemic.

BBC England can reveal the full scale of the gangâs crimes - and the missed opportunities to stop them.

The exploitation ended in October 2019 after victims contacted police in Czech Republic , who then tipped off their British counterparts.

Warning signs had been missed for at least four years , the BBC has discovered.

At least four victims' wages - totallingÂ215,000 - were being paid into one account, controlled by the gang.

Victims were unable to speak English , and job applications were completed by a gang member, who was even able to sit-.

McDonaldâs UK declined our offer of an interview, but provided a statement on behalf of the corporation and its franchisees.

It said the current franchisee had only been exposed to the full depth of these crimes in the course of his co-operation with police and the prosecution.

None of the supermarkets detected the slavery while victims worked at the factory between 2012 and 2019 .

Responding to the case, the government said it would âset out next steps on the issue of modern slavery in due courseâ. It said it was âcommitted to tackling all forms of modern slaveryâ and would âpursue gangs and employers with every lever at our disposal while ensuring that victims are provided with the support they needâ. Additional reporting by Mary O'Reilly and Maria Jevstafjeva Details of organisations offering support for victims of modern slavery are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.