Restaurant owners face 10 years behind bars for slavery offences

The owners of a successful restaurant who kept a female tourist as a slave from 2013 to 2016 are now facing 10 years behind bars.

The lady who can’t be named for legal reasons, was lured to Australia by Shiela and Joshua McAleer to work in their family home and numerous businesses in Sydney’s south.

The victim had come to Australia from the Philippines and was forced to care for the couple’s children for hours on end and treated her as a slave. She also worked unpaid, at their Filipino restaurant for many hours and was under constant supervision.

The pair had allegedly frightened the woman by telling her they knew police who could ‘harm her’ as well as her family in the Philippines.

In 2016, the woman escaped from her captors and moved in with a friend.

During this time, the McAleers hired a private detective to try to locate her.

In her victim impact statement, the woman labelled Shiela McAleer a 'cruel' person.

As reported by 9 News, the woman’s court statement read: 'I felt like a slave but didn't say anything. I had no power to change my situation,' she said, according to 9 News.

The restaurant owners pleaded guilty to several offences, including harbouring an unlawful non-citizen and making a false statement for health benefits.

They face a maximum of 10 years behind bars. They will be sentenced in June.

27th April 2021