Slovak Woman Exploited in Sham Marriage Horror in Peterborough
A chilling case of exploitation has come to light after a Slovak woman was forced into a fake marriage and threatened with death if she didn’t comply. Ladislav Pilo, 39, from Nitra, Slovakia, played a sinister role in her ordeal.
Trapped from Airport Arrival
In January 2013, Pilo picked the homeless, unemployed woman up from the airport and took her to his home in Rock Road, Peterborough. He then registered her at a recruitment agency, forcing her to work long hours at a factory while he kept most of her wages and held onto her ID and controlled her bank account.
£5,000 ‘Sale’ and Forced Islamic Wedding
In May 2013, Pilo “sold” the woman for £5,000 and ordered her to marry Samad Shinwari, a 38-year-old Pakistani man from Luton. This sham marriage was designed to help Shinwari gain UK residency. Pilo reassured the victim she wouldn’t have to live or sleep with Shinwari, only visit occasionally, while acting as their translator during their Islamic ceremony at his home two months later.
Threats, Pregnancy, and Control
Pilo threatened to send the woman back to Slovakia, warning her and her family would be killed if she refused. Soon after, she discovered she was pregnant from a previous relationship, and Pilo demanded she abort the baby.
The woman married Shinwari in a civil ceremony in Luton in November 2013. Pilo and his family attended, posing for photos to support their immigration appeal.
Sham Marriage Exposed
Over the next seven months, the woman was shuffled between Luton and Peterborough for Home Office meetings. She was forced to memorise relationship details from a cheat sheet, supposedly to prove the marriage was genuine. Immigration officers grew suspicious during a 2014 interview as the pair couldn’t communicate properly. Despite this, Shinwari’s appeal succeeded, and he was granted residency.
Police Crack Down, Justice Served
The police became involved in April 2015 after a warrant at Pilo’s home in Peterborough, leading to his eventual arrest in Slovakia and extradition to the UK this year. Pilo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate sham marriage and exploitation charges.
At Peterborough Crown Court, Shinwari was jailed for 30 months in 2018. Pilo received a 54-month sentence in October 2024 and was slapped with a Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order banning him from arranging transport, accommodation, or marriages for anyone outside his immediate family. He is also barred from contacting the victim.
Detective Superintendent Becky Tipping said: “This case highlights that slavery still exists here in Cambridgeshire and is anything but a thing of the past. The victim was driven to attempt suicide but is now working to rebuild her life and is happy.”
“The Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order will help us protect future victims once Pilo serves his sentence.”
“We urge anyone sensing exploitation to speak up—even a single report could save a life.”
