The former owner and area manager of Slough-based Rapier Recruitment have been found guilty of using an unlicensed agency in Poland to provide them with the eight workers that were placed into Cornish fields.

A Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) investigation began in January 2008 after the workers were discovered wearing only sports clothing and trainers. The men and women had arrived in the UK via an unlicensed agency in Poland and were given contracts specifying they would be working in the catering industry as waiters and waitresses.

The investigation uncovered a catalogue of failures by Rapier Recruitment, which included not training or supervising the workers who would receive 60p per crate of 10 cut cabbages and supposed to drive the tractor. An initial denial that accommodation was provided was changed when evidence was produced to prove it was and many questions raised over the pay, lack of records and treatment of the workers.

Abrar ul Haq pleaded guilty to receiving workers from an unlicensed agency, as well as supplying the workers through an unlicensed umbrella company and was given 300 hours community service and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.

Gary Richards pleaded guilty to receiving workers from an unlicensed agency and was given 200 hours community service and ordered to pay £3,000 in costs.

Paul Whitehouse, chairman on the GLA, says: “Both convicted individuals tried to delay the court process as much as possible, but we managed to get a good result for the workers almost immediately. They had only been in the country three weeks when we found them and it could have been a lucky escape.”

Four of the workers went on to be treated and paid properly working for other agencies while the other four decided to go back to Poland.