Scone gangmaster denies exploting migrant workers

May 29 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ALLEGED Perthshire ‘gangmaster’ David Leslie denied exploiting migrant workers, when he appeared at the sheriff court yesterday.

Leslie (54), of Scones Lethendy Farm, by Perth, David Leslie Fruits Ltd and Viking Tunnels Ltd, all deny a charge of entering into an arrangement with an unlicensed gangmaster, Bulgaria-based Concordia Group Ltd and Total Services Ltd.

It is alleged that the overseas firm supplied Leslie with over 250 workers from Bulgaria, in contravention of section six of the Gangmasters Act 2004.

In a brief exchange with the court’s visiting sheriff yesterday, Leslie’s solicitor John McLaughlin described the case as “a fairly complex matter”.

Discharging the previous court schedule, the sheriff deferred matters until Thursday to allow the Crown to establish its position, with a view to setting a new trial date.

Leslie’s attendance at Thursday’s hearing was excused.