Three men have appeared before magistrates in Carlisle accused of modern day slavery offences at three Cumbrian car-wash centres.

Sitar Hamid Ali, 30, from Adelaide Street, Carlisle, faces three allegations.

The first is that he had in his possession £22,363 which prosecutors say was the proceeds of criminal activity.

He is alleged to have illegally had the cash on May 10, 2017.

He is also charged with conspiring to require a person or persons to perform forced labour between January 2016 and June of last year; and conspiring to arrange travel for another person with a view to exploitation.

Also before the court were two brothers.

Defrim Paci, 39, of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, faces an allegation of conspiring to require a person or persons to perform forced labour between September 1, 2016, and June 4, 2017; and conspiring the arrange the travel of another person for the purpose of exploitation.

Jetrim Paci, 35, of Boythorpe, Derbyshire, faces two identical charges.

No formal pleas were entered by any of the defendants.

Magistrates ruled that the case should be deal with by Carlisle Crown Court. They sent the case to that court for a hearing on January 7.

All three defendants were granted conditional bail.

Their conditions included a weekly reporting requirement, stipulating that they must present themselves at their local station once a week.

The three must also surrender their passports.

The prosecution allege that the offences occurred at three locations in Cumbria where car washing businesses were being run.

One was at Warwick Road, Carlisle; another at King Street, off Bochergate, Carlisle; and the third at Cowper Street, Penrith.