THE jury in the trial of four members of a family accused of forcing two men to work for them have now heard all the evidence in the case.

Farm owner Patrick Joseph Connors, 59, of Greenway Road, Rumney, Cardiff; his son Patrick Dean Connors, 39, of the same address; William Connors, 36, of Trowbridge Green, Cardiff; and Lee Christopher Carbis, 34, of Witla Court Road, Rumney are all on trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

The group were arrested as part of a Gwent Police operation into forced labour.

The four men, who are all on bail, deny a charge of requiring another to perform forced or compulsory labour between April 2010 and January 2013.

The charges relate to Michael Hughes, 46, who claims he was made a “slave” at Ton Y Pill Farm in Peterstone for more than 20 years. They also relate to a second victim, Mr K, aged 41, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The prosecution allege both men were vulnerable.

The court heard earlier this week how Mr Hughes was homeless when he met the family aged 18. He said he lived in a rotting garden shed, a caravan and tin hut during his time working at the farm.

Today at Cardiff Crown Court the jury were told they had finished hearing the evidence in the case.

Connors Sr was the only defendant to take to the stand to give evidence; the others declined to give evidence.

On Monday Judge Neil Bidder will sum up the case to the jury and provide them with legal direction. He said he hopes to send the jury out to deliberate on their verdict on around Wednesday next week.

Earlier this week the court heard from Gaynor Mahoney, 62, from Rumney – who let Mr Hughes stay with her rent free in 2003 and has been a family friend of the Connors' for 25 years.

Mrs Mahoney took Mr Hughes in after a mutual friend, Raymond Price, told her that he had nowhere to go after splitting up with his long-term girlfriend at the time.

Mrs Mahoney said that even though Mr Hughes was not working for him at the time, Patrick Connors Sr would occasionally pop around to see him at her house.

Proceeding.