By Adam Cooper
An alleged slave wife was not allowed out of her bedroom unless she was cooking or cleaning for her husband and brother-in-law, and often survived on bread and pickles only, according to court documents.
The woman's 33-year-old husband on Monday faced Melbourne Magistrates Court charged with reducing a person to slavery.
The court was closed to media and the public as the woman, who was also allegedly physically, sexually and verbally abused by her husband, gave evidence.
Credit: Penny Stephens
The husband and wife, who cannot be named for legal reasons, lived together in a Pakenham house for about six weeks between August and October 2015 after she arrived in Australia. The husband's brother also lived in the house.
According to a police summary, the husband had the wife cook, clean and do laundry for him and his younger brother from the day she arrived in Australia, despite her exhaustion from travelling.
He is also accused of constantly demanding she request money from her family in her homeland.
The summary says the woman was not allowed outside the house, not permitted to see a doctor or take medication when she was ill for three days, was unable to buy a SIM card for her mobile phone and felt continually monitored by the brothers.
"She was not allowed to step out of the house and was instructed by her husband to remain in her bedroom unless she was cooking or cleaning for them," the summary alleges.
"She was provided with very little food and often lived on bread and pickles."
After about six weeks, the woman found an unlocked computer in the house and contacted her sister to seek advice and help, police say.
"She was caught using the computer by her brother-in-law, who told her he couldn't wait to find out what his brother would do to her when he returned home," police allege.
"In terror, she fled the house and sought help from neighbours."
In requesting the court be closed while the woman gave evidence, prosecutor Mandy Fox, QC, told magistrate Belinda Wallington the woman was a vulnerable witness.
Ms Wallington also ruled the husband's brother could not sit in court while the wife gave evidence, after the brother had previously been charged with a slavery offence and was once a co-accused. The brother is no longer charged with a slavery offence.
The accused man's lawyer, Matthew Page, had applied for the brother to stay in the closed court, and told the magistrate the brother was the husband's only source of support.
But Ms Fox said it was inappropriate the brother be in court while the woman gave evidence.
The accused man and his brother also face a single charge each of possessing child pornography. Ms Wallington adjourned those charges to April.
The hearing continues.