Ukrainian refugee reported mother who took her in to the police for making her do the DISHES

An NHS mental health specialist who took in a Ukrainian refugee was accused of modern-day slavery after asking her guest to help more with the dishes – while warning potential hosts to ‘think twice’ before leaving their homes offer.

Hannah Debenham, 42, of Uckfield, Sussex, was under investigation for two months after the charge, before the case was dropped this week after no supporting evidence was found.

The mother of two was asked to “voluntarily” go to Eastbourne Police Station, where she was interrogated by a modern day slavery inspector, who she called “the worst day of my life”. Police also spent two hours at her home with her husband.

She told MailOnline: ‘It was just devastating. We just wanted to help. If I had been charged I would have had to report it and that would have been a lasting obstacle to my career.

“They also spoke to my husband and told him I could face life in prison if found guilty.

‘I have been an NHS mental health specialist for 15 years and have often worked with people who have been questioned and charged by the police. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me.’

Ms Debenham said her lawyer described the action by the Sussex police as an ‘outrageous overshoot’.

The Ukrainian family had only been living with Ms Debenham for three weeks when the allegation was upheld. The mother cannot be named as modern slavery complainants are given anonymity.

The story started when Mrs Debenham and her husband, who also works in the NHS, were looking for an Au Pair for their eight-bedroom house.

They came across the profile of a 36-year-old Ukrainian woman who claimed she was also an English teacher and contacted her to see if she would be a good fit for her.

According to Ms Debenham, they came to an agreement that allowed her and her 10-year-old daughter to stay with them, on the condition that she do babysitting work two to three days a week, for which she pays £200.

Ms Debenham filled out the paperwork through the government’s Homes for Ukraine programme, which she said was accepted “remarkably quickly.”

On their arrival in late June, Ms Debenham began preparing them for life in the UK by helping them arrange benefits, bank accounts and a school place for the young girl.

However, as with many other reported cases, things started to fall apart due to the wide cultural differences.

‘The first few weeks, the honeymoon, were fine,’ recalls Mrs. Debenham, ‘but they didn’t clean themselves, the amount of dishes doubled quickly.

“For example, the mother used a new glass every time she got a glass of water or drink.”

The mothers then got into an argument after Ms Debenham was unable to bring her guest to an appointment because she was working from home.

‘She slammed the door on me,’ recalled Mrs Debenham, ‘and I just thought wow, how could she treat me like that.

“I had driven her to so many doctor and benefit appointments, but I explained to her that she just had to respect that I work and can’t always be available to drive her.”

It came to a head when the Ukrainian mother took Mrs Debenham’s five-year-old son to the nearby school.

When the boy told her he needed the toilet, she allegedly told him to use the open field next to the playground and wipe his buttocks with leaves.

“Our house was only two minutes away, and why couldn’t she ask someone at school to go to the bathroom? She was shocked that I was upset and said she wouldn’t have told me if she had known I would have reacted that way.

“I felt like I could no longer fully trust her with my children and we decided the arrangement no longer worked for us. I told her that if she got her benefits, she would have to live somewhere else.’

A few days later, Ms Debenham claims that she received a call from her Ukrainian guest at work telling her she was leaving.

Moments later, police officers arrived at the house with a request to speak to Mrs Debenham. They then called her and told her she had been accused of slavery. They chatted with her husband on the property for two hours before grilling her for an hour and a half at the station.

A police report seen by MailOnline said the Ukrainian mother had claimed she had to “work most days, look after the kids and expected to tidy up and tidy up the house.”

It claimed she was “used as a slave and full-time nanny for little or no pay under the disguise of helping her with Ukraine’s settlement plan.”

No charges were ever brought against Ms Debenham as police found no evidence to support the claim. The Ukrainian mother did not respond to MailOnline’s request for comment.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: ‘Sussex Police received a report on 20 July from a person who was required to perform forced or compulsory labour. The informant was a woman with a young daughter who had arrived in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

On July 26, a woman from Uckfield, who had offered to host the couple, was invited for a voluntary interview on August 16 at Eastbourne Police Station with her lawyer. She was not arrested.

“After that interview, the informant was approached several times to make a full statement, but was unwilling to investigate further or make a formal report.

“As a result, it was ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute and that no further action would be taken. The woman’s lawyer was notified of the decision the same day.’

Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Patch said: “This investigation was expedited as quickly as possible, but given the nature of the allegations being made, it was important that both sides were given the opportunity to report on what had happened and other authorities involved.” . consulted.

“In this case, there was insufficient evidence to proceed, but we take any allegations of this nature very seriously and it is important that they are properly investigated.”