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Death By Dangerous
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    â€˜Martin Tredwell.’
    The answer was difficult to make out. Tredwell’s horrific injuries prevented any facial animation.
    â€˜Would you be more comfortable seated, Mr Tredwell?’ Anderson asked.
    â€˜No, I’ll stand,’ he replied, still defiant.
    â€˜Very well. I would like to start, if I may, with how you know the defendant, Waqar Ahmed?’
    â€˜I had a job at one of his takeaways. He used to come in at closing. About eleven.’
    â€˜Why would he come in?’
    â€˜Just to check on things. Collect the takings.’
    â€˜Where was that takeaway?’
    â€˜Wilmslow Road in Rusholme, on the Curry Mile.’ Tredwell’s voice became clearer as he got into his stride. ‘The Kashmiri Palace.’
    â€˜And did you get to know Mr Ahmed?’
    â€˜Yes. He started asking me to run errands for him.’
    â€˜What sort of errands?’
    â€˜Collecting rent from tenants and shopkeepers, or dropping something off. Stuff like that.’
    â€˜So these people owed Ahmed money?’
    â€˜Maybe some did. Depends how you look at it.’
    â€˜How did you look at it?’
    â€˜I assumed it was protection money.’
    Hussain shifted uneasily in his seat.
    â€˜Did people ever refuse to pay?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜What would happen?’
    â€˜I would tell Ahmed and he would send people round.’
    â€˜How do you know?’
    â€˜Stuff I would hear.’
    â€˜That’s hearsay, Your Honour!’ shouted Hussain.
    The judge acknowledged the objection, but the damage was done.
    â€˜I see. How long did this go on for?’
    â€˜A few months, then he asked me to go places with him.’
    â€˜How would he get hold of you?’
    â€˜He’d come into the Palace or ring me on my mobile.’
    â€˜Could you please look at this, Mr Tredwell.’ Anderson handed up his junior’s schedule. ‘We have copies for Your Honour and the jury.’
    â€˜This is most helpful, Mr Anderson,’ said the judge, studying the document.
    â€˜Your Honour,’ interrupted Hussain, before Anderson was able to openly credit Connor for his efforts. ‘I would have been grateful for the courtesy of being shown this document before the witness was called.’
    Anderson handed the document to his opponent.
    â€˜Well, now you have it, Mr Hussain,’ said the judge. ‘Now where were we, Mr Anderson?’
    Anderson resumed: ‘Can you just confirm that the two numbers at the top of the schedule are yours and Mr Ahmed’s?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜We can see that throughout last year he would ring you several times a week?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Thank you. If the jury would like to put that document behind divider four in their bundles. Now, where would Ahmed take you, Mr Tredwell?’
    He held a cup of water up to his mouth and sipped. ‘Bars, houses; he had some girls.’
    â€˜What do you mean? A brothel?’
    â€˜He had a couple. Sort of. Just houses where they lived. I would drive them out on jobs sometimes or deliver them to a house in Bradford.’
    Anderson could see the jury were gripped by Tredwell’s account.
    â€˜Just to be absolutely clear, were people paying them for sexual services?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜How do you know?’
    â€˜They gave me the money, after they’d been out on a job.’
    â€˜What did you do with it?’
    â€˜Gave it to the boss − Ahmed.’
    â€˜Mr Tredwell, so the jury understand, you have pleaded guilty to an offence of trafficking women within the UK for sexual exploitation.’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Do you know where the girls had come from?’
    â€˜All over. Mainly Asia and Eastern Europe.’
    â€˜How do you know?’
    â€˜They told me. I got to know them. I treated them right.’
    â€˜Were you involved in bringing them into this country?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Do you

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