Exclusive: Lopresti ice cream bosses face slavery charges

City 1st October, 2018

Salvatore and Robert Lopresti face charges of forced labour.

Two bosses of prominent Bedminster-based ice cream business, Lopresti Ice Cream, are to appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 4 October charged with Modern Slavery offences, the Cable can exclusively reveal.

The two individuals summoned, Robert and Salvatore Lopresti, are relatives of Filton and Bradley Stoke MP, Jack Lopresti. Mr Jack Lopresti has no connection to the case.

An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson said:

“As part of an investigation into modern slavery, Robert Lopresti, 45, and Salvatorie [sic] ‘Sam’ Lopresti, 74, both of Long Ashton, have been postal requisitioned to appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 4 October.

Robert is due to appear relating to a charge requiring a person to perform forced labour.
Salvatorie [sic] is due to appear relating to charges of assault occasioning ABH and charge requiring a person to perform forced labour.”

The business which trades as Lopresti Ice Cream on Bedminster Parade, operates ice cream vans all over the city. Through his company, Grandbill Limited, Salvatore Lopresti is also a major landlord in the city.

The Cable will continue to follow this case.

Read more on: modern slavery, workers rights

Keep the Lights On

Investigative journalism strengthens democracy – it’s a necessity, not a luxury.

The Cable is Bristol’s independent, investigative newsroom. Owned and steered by more than 2,600 members, we produce award-winning journalism that digs deep into what’s happening in Bristol.

We are on a mission to become sustainable – will you help us get there?

Join now

What makes us different?

Related content

This Better Work

Illustration of 4 desks with laptops on them and chairs on the floor, with an orange background.

Tech workers need unions too

With mass layoffs and poor working conditions becoming widespread across the sector, it’s time for techies to get organised.

Daniel Watson

People Just Do Something

Listen: People Just Do Something, with striking teacher Nik on trade unionism’s ‘ethical gravy train’

What is a strike? What are trade unions for? How can you organise your workplace? Teacher and NEU rep Nik steps away from the picket line for a 'union bro love-in' with Isaac that answers these questions and more.

Priyanka Raval, Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins and George Colwey

This Better Work

Explained: What is Labour’s new Employment Rights Bill, and what does it mean for Bristolians?

In October Labour introduced the Employment Rights Bill, calling it the 'biggest upgrade to rights at work in a generation'. Why does it matter, where could it be better – and when will it make a difference to people's lives?

Adam Quarshie

This Better Work

A cardboard placard showing a swastika being thrown in a bin is raised above a city street full of people protesting

‘We need to face them on the streets’: how trade unions are responding to the far-right threat

The scale of the recent far-right turnout in Bristol rattled many trade unionists. Now, an anti-racist taskforce is forming to organise opposition in the South West, but activists say unions must show they have migrant workers’ backs.

Adam Quarshie

Podcasts

Illustration depicting NHS staff whistleblowing on racism

Listen: The Debrief, digging deeper into revelations of institutional racism at a local NHS trust

Priyanka Raval discusses the inside story of her recent investigation into racism in health services, and what it says about the state of the NHS, with Cable colleague Matty Edwards.

Priyanka Raval, Matty Edwards and George Colwey

This Better Work

‘Precarity is the thing that joins all this work together’: Bristol’s sex workers demand labour rights

The UK needs to decriminalise sex work to expand labour rights and protections to all, and enable sex workers to unionise, local activists say.

Natalie Sherriff

Cable

Community

Sections

Membership

Exclusive: Lopresti ice cream bosses face slavery charges

Salvatore and Robert Lopresti face charges of forced labour.

Keep the Lights On

Related content

Tech workers need unions too

Listen: People Just Do Something, with striking teacher Nik on trade unionism’s ‘ethical gravy train’

Explained: What is Labour’s new Employment Rights Bill, and what does it mean for Bristolians?

‘We need to face them on the streets’: how trade unions are responding to the far-right threat

Listen: The Debrief, digging deeper into revelations of institutional racism at a local NHS trust

‘Precarity is the thing that joins all this work together’: Bristol’s sex workers demand labour rights

Salvatore and Robert Lopresti face charges of forced labour.

Keep the Lights On

Related content

Tech workers need unions too

Listen: People Just Do Something, with striking teacher Nik on trade unionism’s ‘ethical gravy train’

Explained: What is Labour’s new Employment Rights Bill, and what does it mean for Bristolians?

‘We need to face them on the streets’: how trade unions are responding to the far-right threat

Listen: The Debrief, digging deeper into revelations of institutional racism at a local NHS trust

‘Precarity is the thing that joins all this work together’: Bristol’s sex workers demand labour rights

Get the essential stories you won’t find anywhere else

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter