A businessman has been accused of human trafficking and delaying medical help for an illegal immigrant for so long he needed to have his leg amputated.
Shahid Mahmood, 52, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday to deny a series of charges relating to human trafficking and exploitation.
He is alleged to have endangered the life of a 55-year-old man by failing to get him proper medical help and instead taking him to a Chinese herbalist.
It is alleged Mahmood, of Marketgate, Arbroath, broke immigration rules by employing illegal immigrant Izhar Hussain, from Pakistan, between September 6 2010 and December 10 2017.
Mr Hussain was subject to immigration control and had no right to enter or remain in the UK while he was working at Kingsley Guest House, Arbroath, and Geniotech, Hilltown, Dundee, the court heard.
At both those locations and Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, Mahmood is alleged to have required Mr Hussain to perform forced or compulsory labour for long hours with little or no pay. It is alleged he was not allowed to leave the workplace without permission or speak to his family or members of the Pakistani community between March 28 2011 and May 30 2016.
Another identical charge relates to the period May 31 2016 until December 10 2017, when the law was changed to be covered by the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015.
A fourth charge alleges Mahmood allowed Mr Hussain to become gravely ill, severely injured and in danger of losing his life between November 1 and December 10 2017.
It is alleged Mahmood culpably and recklessly refused to let Mr Hussain go to a hospital or GP when he knew he had an infection in his foot and was in pain.
The charge alleges Mahmood instead took his illegal worker to see a Chinese herbalist.
Mahmood allegedly took Mr Hussain to a non-local hospital and induced him to provide false details to staff before leaving him and giving false information to family members about his whereabouts.
The charge alleges that “ultimately there was such a delay in him seeking medical treatment that he required to have his leg amputated”.
Mahmood denies all four charges and a trial, which is expected to last for around a week, has been scheduled to take place later this year.
Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told the court yesterday that Mr Hussain had since changed his identity and the court heard his evidence is expected to take a considerable period of time.
