Woman charged with slavery offences against four men Published duration 10 January 2014

image caption Police found the men in a lean-to building at a house in Alum Rock Road

A woman has been charged with slavery offences after four men were found in squalid conditions in Birmingham.

Unemployed Vasilica Panaghita, 54, was arrested after police found the men in a lean-to building at her house in Alum Rock Road, Birmingham.

Police said the men, who they believed had been at the house for a year, were now in the Salvation Army's care.

Ms Panaghita was remanded in custody when she appeared before Birmingham magistrates.

Ms Panaghita will next appear at the city's Crown Court in April.

She is charged with four counts of knowingly holding another person in slavery or servitude.

Four men and four women, who were also arrested in connection with trafficking offences, have been bailed pending further inquiries, police said.