ZP – victim of trafficking discharged

In October 2025, ZP, a young woman, was discharged from a German extradition request arising from allegations that she had participated, with others, in a series of high-value burglaries.

On arrest, ZP was visibly and profoundly traumatised. She was referred into the  National Referral Mechanism  — the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery — and subsequently received a Conclusive Grounds decision confirming that she was a victim of trafficking. The evidence established that she had been coerced into criminality and subjected to severe sexual and physical exploitation in Germany.

Expert evidence obtained by the defence confirmed that ZP was suffering from acute PTSD caused by appalling violence. She was also the primary carer of an infant and a very young baby. With no family support in the UK, the impact of extradition on both children would have been exceptionally severe. There was also a real risk that extradition would render ZP unfit to plead.

Further expert evidence from Germany was obtained on the operation of non-punishment provisions for trafficking victims. Extradition was resisted on multiple grounds, including that it would be unjust and oppressive by reason of the passage of time and ZP’s physical and mental health, would breach her rights under Articles 4 and 8, and would amount to a disproportionate interference with the lives of her infants.

ZP was represented by Amelia Nice instructed by Frank Brazell