Ballymena poultry factory worker allegedly involved in Romanian sex trafficking crimes

Prosecutors also claimed Florin Ripan amassed more than £100,000 in unexplained bank account funds as part of the suspected vice racket.

The 52-year-old’s bid to be released from custody was put on hold after it emerged that he has now lost his job at a factory in Ballymena.

But co-accused Ionut Duta, 27, was granted bail under a strict prohibition on communicating with any witnesses in the case.

The two men, both with addresses in Ballymena, are among four Romanian nationals charged with controlling prostitution for gain, along with acquiring, using and concealing criminal property.

Detectives from the PSNI’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking team launched an investigation earlier this year following contact with a vulnerable 22-year-old Romanian woman.

“Police believe she was a victim trafficked by an organised crime gang in June 2023 and put to work in the sex trade,” Crown counsel said.

The court heard she travelled to Dublin before being taken to an address in Omagh, Co Tyrone linked to another of the defendants.

Isolated and with limited English, the woman’s only associates were said to be alleged members of the organised gang.

She is believed to have been put to work at locations in both Omagh and Ballymena.

An adult website was set up advertising sexual services in return for cash payments, according to the prosecution case.

Bank accounts opened in the name of either the victim or some of the accused also form part of the investigation.

Despite the earnings from Ripan’s poultry job, it was claimed that the scale of his balance could not be accounted for.

“The police officer told me there is £108,000 outstanding between his legitimate income and turnover,” counsel said.

Mr Justice Scoffield was told telecommunications data allegedly identified all of the accused as being involved in taking the victim to one of the addresses for sex work.

She is currently staying at a secure, undisclosed location.

Opposing applications for bail, the prosecution confirmed police are still actively pursuing other suspects.

Ripan, of Hill Street in Ballymena, was arrested at his workplace and has denied the charges against him.

During interviews he told police that he previously provided a lift to the woman as an unpaid favour, insisting that any transactions between them were for the repayment of loans.

Defence barrister Peter Coiley told the court Ripan has lived in Northern Ireland for seven years and initially indicated that his client’s job was still available.

But following further checks, the court was told a decision has been taken to terminate his employment.

“This has come as a shock to Mr Ripan,” the barrister added.

Adjourning his bail application, the judge indicated it would allow more time to obtain "clarity about his employment prospects”.

However, he ruled on Wednesday that Duta, of Chichester Park East in Ballymena, is to be released from custody.

The judge said: “The sum of money passing through his account was not the most significant. More importantly, he knows he will be under close police observation, which mitigates the risk of re-offending.”