A CARLISLE woman has appeared before the city’s crown court accused of modern slavery offences and masterminding prostitution.

During a brief hearing before Judge Nicholas Barker, 29-year-old Ana Stefan formally entered not guilty pleas to the three charges she faces. The judge set a provisional date for a trial which is expected to last five days.

Each charge was read aloud by the court clerk as she put the allegations to the defendant, whose address was given as Woodrouffe Terrace, Carlisle.

The three charges are:

* Arranging or facilitating the travel of another person (named in the charge) with a view to exploitation between January 1, 2020, and September 15, 2021 with a view to that person being exploited.

This is an offence under Section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

* An identical charge covering the same time period and relating to a second alleged female victim, (also named in the charge).

* Controlling prostitution for gain: this charge relates to alleged events relating to the same time period as stated in the other two charges, between January 1, 2020 and September 15 the following year.

Prosecutors say she “intentionally controlled the activities of other persons in relation to their prostitution in any part of the world for, or in expectation of, gain for yourself, contrary to Section 53 of the Sexual Offences Act, 2003.

After legal discussions, involving both defence lawyer Andrew Gurney and prosecutor Gerard Rogerson, Judge Barker set a timetable for the case.

This includes a provisional trial starting date of June 19, though the case will be put back before  the court on March 9 so that various legal issues relating to the prosecution can be reviewed.

The defendant was told that she must attend court on both dates.

In the meantime, said the judge, she will have conditional bail. The conditions include that she must surrender her passport, and not apply for travel documents. She must contine to reside and sleep at her current address.

Judge Barker also told Stefan that she must attend her appointments with her lawyer Mr Gurney.