Sussex Police have praised a woman who was enslaved for a number of years for her bravery in telling her story.

Jacqueline Whittington, 60, had her bank cards taken and was subjected to physical and emotional abuse by her landlady, Farzana Kausar, who enslaved her for years.

Ms Whittington said in her police interview that she was treated “like a piece of dirt”,  was punched and had a car door slammed on her ankle. Kausar also used Ms Whittington's disabled status to get blue badges for her car, which was registered in Ms Whittington’s name.

Detective Inspector Simon Morgan, senior investigating officer, said: “This conviction rested on the bravery and support of Kausar’s victim, crucial witness testimony and the tenacious investigative work of Sussex Police officers, staff and its partner agencies.

“While her victim may not have been physically caged, she was bound by invisible chains forged of the financial, psychological and physical abuse to which she was routinely subjected.

“Kausar consistently deprived her victim of her day-to-day possessions, her passport and her bank cards – the simple things we may take for granted.”

Sussex Police also commended the courage of Michelle Ormiston, who was employed by Kausar as a nanny. Ms Ormiston reported the case to the police after thinking that the dynamic between the landlady and Ms Whittington “didn’t feel right”.

Ms Whittington, who has struggled with alcoholism for a number of years, met Kausar in 2004 after beginning to rent a property from her mother.

She said in her police interview how she was moved around a number of her landlady’s properties, working as an “unpaid slave” at several of the property mogul’s houses.

Ms Whittington said she had contemplated suicide but added that “the reason I haven’t done it is because of [Kausar’s] children".

Kausar was found guilty of a modern slavery offence at Lewes Crown Court following a three-week trial as well as perverting the course of justice.

She was also found to have sent letters to police in Ms Whittington’s name withdrawing her support from the investigation into her offences.

Kausar is due for sentencing on Thursday, November 10.