Couple Sentenced for Trafficking Women into Prostitution to Fund Extravagant Lifestyle
A Polish couple who lured vulnerable women from Europe to the UK with false promises of legitimate work, only to force them into prostitution and spend the earnings on a lavish lifestyle, have been jailed following a decade-long investigation. Wieslaw Michniewicz, 53, and his wife, Aleksandra Timoszek, 32, both Polish nationals residing on Willow Avenue in Burley, targeted predominantly Polish women, offering them jobs as childminders or in local shops.
Deceptive Recruitment and Exploitation
Upon arrival in the UK, the victims were informed they had debts to repay and were coerced into sex work. The youngest victim, brought to the country at age 17, was put to work in a brothel the day after her 18th birthday. The women were forced to work up to 20 hours daily, seven days a week, providing sexual services, with all proceeds handed directly to the couple.
Michniewicz and Timoszek lived extravagantly on the profits, driving expensive sports cars including a Porsche Panamera, a Porsche Carrera, and an Audi R8. They were assisted by Michniewicz's cousin, Mariusz Seretny, 45, and his wife, Marta Seretny, 41, who lived at Grange Close in Hunslet and played a supporting role in the exploitation.
Investigation and Arrests
West Yorkshire Police launched an investigation that led to the couple's arrest at their home on September 14, 2016, on suspicion of modern slavery offences. Officers found several women at the address and seized the luxury vehicles along with £16,000 in cash. Handwritten ledgers recovered from a safe revealed the prostitution had generated approximately £170,000, detailing the substantial debts imposed on each victim.
The investigation identified 14 victims aged between 17 and 31. Women deemed unsuitable upon arrival were sent back to Poland, and one became suspicious and refused to travel. Receipts from the Willow Avenue address showed large sums transferred out of the country, and CCTV footage captured the victims being driven off daily by Michniewicz and Timoszek.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
All four defendants were charged with modern slavery and controlling prostitution offences in February 2023, but Michniewicz and Timoszek fled the UK. They were later traced, extradited back, and remanded in custody until their trial began at Leeds Crown Court in November 2025. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on December 18, 2025.
At sentencing, Michniewicz received 15 years in jail, Timoszek was given seven-and-a-half years, and Mariusz Seretny was jailed for five years. Marta Seretny received a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work and five rehabilitation days, bringing the total jail time to 27.5 years among the three imprisoned defendants.
Police Response and Victim Support
Throughout the investigation, detectives maintained contact with the victims, many of whom returned to Poland after the arrests. Through a joint investigation team facilitated by Europol, officers safeguarded and supported victims in Poland, using specially trained personnel to secure evidence.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Superintendent Helen Steele, commented: 'Modern slavery offences are truly abhorrent, and we remain absolutely committed to doing everything we can to target those involved. This is a crime that is often hidden in plain sight, and we urge the public to report any suspicions of exploitation immediately.'
The case highlights the ongoing efforts by UK authorities to combat human trafficking and modern slavery, with West Yorkshire Police emphasising the importance of community vigilance in identifying and reporting such crimes.
