Anti-slavery orders for Crewe religious leader and four others

A court has granted an interim anti-slavery and trafficking order against five people from a religious group in Cheshire who were arrested over allegations of sexual assault, forced marriage and modern slavery. They were among 10 people detained on Wednesday when police raided the headquarters of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Crewe. All of the 10 were released on bail on Friday, following the operation earlier in the week which covered three addresses and involved a team of 500 police officers. The four men and one woman did not appear at Chester Magistrates Court for the hearing into the granting of the civil orders. They are Abdullah Hashem, a 42-year-old US citizen who is the leader of the group, Veronica Espoda, a 44-year-old Italian national, Kevin Omar Rodriguez Ponce, a 30-year-old from Mexico, Eyad Elkhouli, a 44-year-old German national and 35-year-old Ali Muhammed, who is British. The interim orders prevent the five people from entering Crewe and from contacting the alleged victim. They also place restrictions on where they can live and where they can travel. Police said the alleged victim, a woman, was a member of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL