CCTV catches couple who lured women to UK with dating app with bundles of cash

Wieslaw Michniewicz and his then-wife Aleksandra Timoszek have now been jailed

18:39, 23 Jan 2026Updated 18:40, 23 Jan 2026

Three sentenced for trafficking women to the UK and forcing them into sex work

These shocking CCTV images show a sick couple moments after taking wads of cash from a woman they lured to the UK to work in brothels.

Wieslaw Michniewicz, 52, and his then-wife Aleksandra Timoszek, 32, were two-thirds of a deceitful gang with Mariudz Seretny, 45, which used dating app Badoo to lure women from eastern Europe to the UK. They promised the women that they would get employment or a romantic relationship – instead they were ordered into prostitution.

Once on English soil, the women were taken to Willow Avenue in Burley, where they were told to offer sexual services in brothels located at Winstons Health and Leisure in Dewsbury Road, Leeds, and Diplomat Ltd, in Attercliffe Road, Sheffield. The women would often work day and night shifts, but would not see the money they owed due to “ledgers” claiming they owed debts for their airline tickets, makeup and personal hygiene products.

It was said one girl was thrown a birthday party but was told she would have to pay the debt for her birthday cake and champagne. Another woman told in her evidence how her little sister was threatened.

[L-R] Evil Wieslaw Michniewicz, 52, and his then-wife Aleksandra Timoszek and Mariusz Seretny have been jailed(Image: West Yorkshire Police)

On Friday, January 23 they were finally jailed at Leeds Crown Court after being convicted of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation; conspiracy to incite another person to become a prostitute for gain; conspiracy to control prostitution for gain; and two counts of controlling prostitution for gain in relation to two individual victims.

Officers launched an investigation after receiving an anonymous letter detailing what was happening at Willow Avenue. Detectives set up surveillance and captured Timoszek on CCTV carrying bundles cash. It was said the women had “no or little contact with the outside world” and were required to work day and night.

Prosecutor Sharon Beattie told the court: “A number of other matters arose during the course of the trial which pointed to the exploitation of the women including violence or threats to the victim or their family by the employer.

Wieslaw Michniewicz captured on camera(Image: West Yorkshire Police)

“Two women gave evidence about working while unwell and doing double shifts…Other services like makeup and hygiene products were also written [as debts] by Aleksandra Timoszek. Those ledgers attributed to debts accrued relating to payment for Marta Seretny for childcare and arrangement for nail appointments and indicated her knowledge.”

The court was told that the amount of “debt” written in the ledger totalled more than £169,000 for a nine-month period.

Ms Beattie said: “One witness came to the UK after messages exchanged with Wieslaw Michniewicz. He told her to come to the UK where she would be better off and able to find a job. Her flight was paid for but when she arrived, he expressed his disappointment about her ‘chubby figure.’ An argument ensued and she got on a flight back the next day.

Ledgers books with recorded “debts” were seized(Image: West Yorkshire Police)

“There was a similar account given by another woman. When she arrived she became very suspicious when she saw a woman asleep and she spoke to her and thought she was on drugs. She stayed at the house and Aleksandra Timoszek tried to persuade her to stay. He [Wieslaw Michniewicz] told her that he lied to her because it was difficult to get girls.

“He also said that her work would be duping drunk men into handing over pin numbers and sex work was additional…She returned to Poland.”

It was said another woman was lured over to the UK under the pretence she would be working as a childminder. Although she said she was working in that role for a time but she was told by Michniewicz and Timoszek that she was not earning enough to repay her debt and was taken to Winstons, and then the next morning to the Diplomat, where she was told “she would smile and charge for sexual services.”

Luxury cars were also seized(Image: West Yorkshire Police)

Ms Beattie said: “She was told something bad would happen to her little sister if she did not do as she was told.”

The couple were arrested in December 2018 and thousands of pounds and luxury cars were seized from the scene, as well as the ledger books detailing the debts.

His Honour Judge Crowson jailed Michniewicz to 15 years in prison. He jailed Timoszek, of Park View Avenue, Burley, to seven-and-a-half years and Marius Seretny, of Grange Close, Hunslet, to five years.

Marta Seretny, of Grange Close, Hunslet, was made the subject of a year-long community order, during which she will have to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and five days rehabilitation activity requirement.

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