Eight people have appeared in court this morning accused of being involved in a people trafficking ring in Huddersfield.

Four men and four women appeared at Leeds Crown Court charged with conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK for the purposes of exploitation.

The alleged offences took place between January 3, 2006 and April 2, 2012.

The group are alleged to have intended to exploit the people involved by subjecting them to force, threats or deception designed to induce them to provide their services in the fashion/tailoring and domestic service trade.

The defendants are: Raheela Bibi, 40, of Lockwood Road, Ahjaz Hussain, 33, of Victoria Road in Lockwood, Shahbaz Hussain, 38, of St Stephen’s Road in Lockwood, Muhammad Iqbal, 45, of Yews Mount in Lockwood, Shahnaz Iqbal, 52, of Kaffir Road in Edgerton, Mohammed Sarfraz, 34, of Victoria Road in Lockwood, Hajrah Sarfraz, 36, of Victoria Road in Lockwood, and Nisa Ulhaq, 38, of The Fairway in Fixby.

Ulhaq is further charged with facilitating the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non EU person.

The alleged offence relates to her representation of a woman at an immigration appeal against the refusal of her entry into the UK.

The case was listed for trial in January 2015 and expected to last between six to eight weeks.

All eight defendants were granted conditional bail to live and sleep at the given addresses and must not apply for any international travel documents.

They were also ordered to surrender their passports to Huddersfield Police Station and not contact a list of 14 persons or any of their dependants.

Today's hearing was accompanied by a protest outside Leeds Crown Court involving friends and relatives of the defendants. They had placards calling for justice.

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