A COUPLE, who are accused of enslaved a man they illegally brought into the country, will be tried before a judge and jury at the crown court.

Adrian Bostan, 37, and his partner Mioara Toma, 34, both of Redmire Street, Thornbury, Bradford, pleaded not guilty to two charges when they appeared at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court yesterday.

They were told by Deputy District Judge Rod Ross the charges were too serious to be dealt with at the magistrates court and the case was being sent to the crown court in Bradford.

Red-haired Toma, and Bostan, who was clean shaven with short greying black hair, had the eight-minute proceedings translated to them by a Romanian interpreter.

Toma, who was wearing a salmon pink patterned top, pale blue jeans and light brown boots, and Bostan, dressed in a grey T-shirt, grey tracksuit trousers, grey hooded jacket and black casual shoes, spoke to confirm their names, addresses and dates of birth, and to plead not guilty to the two charges.

It is alleged that, between October 21, 2014 and May 4, 2015, at Bradford, they intentionally arranged or facilitated the arrival in, or entry into, the UK of Marius Florea, believing that another person was likely to exploit him after his arrival or entry, contrary to the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004.

The second charge alleges that both, between the same dates at Bradford, knowingly held another person, Marius Florea, in slavery or servitude, in circumstances where he had his work wages and monies taken from him, when they knew or ought to have known that he was so held, contrary to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

Prosecutor Stephen Rushden, and defence solicitors Raj Kumar, for Toma, and Michelle Flaga, representing Bostan, all agreed that the case was not suitable to be tried at the magistrates' court.

Deputy District Judge Ross told the defendants: "The court has decided it cannot deal with this case. It does not have sufficient powers to deal with these charges, so the matter will be transferred to the crown court."

He granted them bail on condition they lived and slept at their home address and did not contact, directly or indirectly, Marius Florea or another witness.

Deputy District Judge Ross warned the defendants that if they did not attend the next hearing they would commit another offence of failing to surrender to bail, which was punishable by a fine or imprisonment.

He said if they broke the conditions of their bail they could be arrested, brought back before a court and kept in custody.