A man who forced a vulnerable victim living in a shed to carry out manual labour at a scrapyard while taking more than £63,000 from him has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.
James Dean Harrison, 51, from Coventry, pleaded guilty to requiring a person to perform forced labour.
Warwickshire Police said the victim was made to live in a shed and carry out manual work at a scrapyard.
Harrison subjected the man to physical and verbal abuse and referred to him as “Scrapyard Dog”, according to police.
More than £63,000 taken from victim
Investigators found Harrison had retained the victim’s bank cards and taken £63,625.44 over a three-year period.
Police said the money was believed to have been used to fund holidays.
The case came to the attention of officers after a local councillor met the victim and his partner and raised concerns with police.
The councillor also helped the couple obtain emergency accommodation.
Harrison was arrested on 25 February 2026.
Following his guilty plea, he was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison and ordered to pay the victim £10,000 compensation.
‘Appalling in every way’
Detective Constable Hutt, from Warwickshire Police’s Trafficking and Exploitation Team, described Harrison’s treatment of the victim as “appalling in every way”.
He said: “He had approached Harrison as a friend in need of help, and Harrison chose to exploit him for labour and to defraud him of his money.”
DC Hutt said Harrison had stripped the victim of his dignity and finances and seriously affected his health.
He also praised members of the community and the councillor whose intervention helped bring the offending to the attention of police.
