A husband and wife duo who ran a brutal prostitution racket in Barking have been locked up following a major police crackdown. Romanian nationals Nicusor Gheorghe, 34, and Rodica Gheorghe, 33, exploited vulnerable women for nearly a decade, forcing them into a horrific sex trade.
Decade of Deceit and Abuse
Between 2010 and 2019, the couple recruited at least 10 young women, some barely 18, with fake promises of a better life. Once in the UK, these victims were trapped in a nightmare, forced to sleep in squalid conditions and see multiple men nightly. Police found several women locked inside a single room during a 2019 raid, exposing the sordid reality. One victim, a family friend to the pair, was tricked into coming to the UK as a waitress but was instead forced into prostitution for four years. She was forced to have sex with up to 15 men a night — yet paid just £20 a week.
Rape, Threats, and Control
The court heard chilling details about how Nicusor Gheorghe raped this victim and kept her under psychological terror. He threatened to expose her to her family if she didn’t comply, using coercion to keep her compliant. This was part of a wider pattern of ruthless control over all the women.
Justice Served
After a five-week trial, the pair were convicted. They chose not to give evidence in their defence. Nicusor Gheorghe was found guilty of:
- Two counts of rape
- Nine counts of human trafficking
- Ten counts of controlling prostitution for gain
- One count of money laundering
He received a hefty 15-year prison sentence. Rodica Gheorghe played a lesser but still grim role. She was convicted of:
- Two counts of human trafficking
- Eight counts of controlling prostitution for gain
- One count of money laundering
She was jailed for five years.
Judge Condemns ‘Sad and Sordid’ Exploitation
The judge slammed the couple’s actions as a “sad and sordid tale of degradation and exploitation.” The women were “commodities for profit,” not willing participants. The court stressed the victims were manipulated and abused over years, not living a chosen lifestyle. This case exposes the dark scale of human trafficking in the UK. It reveals how criminals prey on vulnerable people with false promises, forcing them into misery. It also highlights the vital work of police and courts in bringing these monsters to justice.
