Fishermen on Scots trawler win £20,000 modern slavery claim

Human right partner, Stephanie Hill who represented the men said exploitation remains “rife” in the fishing industry.

She said: “Our clients have shown a lot of courage in bringing this claim and this settlement is an important step forward in acknowledging the harm our clients endured.

“This case underscores the need for stronger legal safeguards to prevent abuses like these from happening again.”

TN Trawlers denied any allegation of modern slavery or human trafficking and said its workers were well-treated and well-paid.

The company was the focus of two long-running criminal investigations but no cases of human trafficking or modern slavery have come to trial, although some of the men waited years to give evidence.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Modern slavery has devastating impacts and we are committed to tackling this heinous crime in all its forms.

“It is long-standing government policy that we do not comment on individual cases.”