Woman forced to have sex with 10 men a day flees brothel and brings grooming gang to justice

Scotland Yard praised the woman's bravery in coming forward

Zlot Blaga (right) and Jeno Burai (left) (Met Police)

Members of an international sexual exploitation ring have been jailed after a woman escaped and told police of her horrific six-year ordeal at their hands.

The Hungarian woman, who is not being named for legal reasons, was just 20 years old when she entered a relationship with then-24-year-old Jeno Burai.

The relationship soured as Burai, who was jailed in Southwark Crown Court on Thursday for six years and eight months, groomed the young woman and eventually forced her to work as a prostitute in Austria and Hungary.

In 2013, he transported her to the UK where she was forced to sleep with more than 10 men a day until Burai sold her to settle a debt to another Hungarian, 38-year-old Zsolt Blaga, also known as ‘Snake’.

She was taken to a brothel in London’s Church Road, Newham, and twice raped by Blaga before being forced to have sex with other men. Eventually, she managed to escape by climbing a fence and contact police.

An investigation launched by Scotland Yard, with help from Hungarian authorities, discovered the two men’s’ connection to an international criminal grooming gang.

Investigators searched 39 addresses in London, Hungary and Cambridgeshire, making 11 arrests as they uncovered the gang’s involvement in as many as 50 brothels in Peterborough and London.

More than 250 women are thought to have been sexually exploited by the gang.

Southwark court jailed Blaga for 14 years, while the nine remaining members of the captured gang were sent to prison for a total of 34 years and six months.

“The victim’s courage in escaping the gang and telling police about what happened to her has ultimately resulted in this international investigation and the gang being jailed,” Detective Chief Inspector Phil Brewer, of the Met's Trafficking and Kidnap unit said.

Victims of exploitation and trafficking can call the national helpline on 0800 0121 700, report it online atwww.modernslavery.co.uk or report it at any police station.