A LEADING detective whose team smashed a sex trafficking ring in Oxfordshire vowed to carry on its work after receiving commendations from Thames Valley’s Chief Constable.

The accolades were handed out by Sara Thornton at a ceremony at Drayton Park golf club near Abingdon on Thursday.

Det Insp Simon Morton led a team of officers at Oxford CID to bring to an end the exploitation of women from Eastern Europe who were being trafficked by two escort agency bosses.

The other officers who received commendations for working on the trafficking case were Det Sgt Kevin Parsons, Acting Sgt Lucinda Bevan and Pc Deborah Cannon, all based at Oxford CID.Det Insp Morton said: “It was a complicated investigation and I am thrilled and proud that the team has been honoured in this way.”

Last week, Anastassios Papas and Graham Cochrane, who fronted the trafficking operation by running Fun Girls escort agency, were jailed at Oxford Crown Court for seven and five years respectively.

Following the commendations, Det Insp Morton said his team would work closely with Oxford Community Against Trafficking (Oxcat) to ensure that a new trafficking ring was not created. in the city.

He said: “These men threatened and abused all the women they dealt with and showed them no respect.

“This particular trafficking ring has been stopped and the sentences in court send out a tough message.”

Cochrane, 49, of Corncrake Way, Bicester, was convicted by jurors at Oxford Crown Court in November of one charge of conspiracy to traffic women within the UK for sexual exploitation, and two charges of trafficking women into the UK for sexual exploitation.

Papas, 43, of Iffley Road, East Oxford, went on the run after his arrest and was convicted in his absence of two charges of trafficking women within the UK for sexual exploitation, one charge of conspiracy to traffic women within the UK for sexual exploitation, controlling prostitution for gain, and converting £67,075 of criminal property.

He was eventually arrested at a flat in Staines in March.

Ten other police personnel also received long service awards, including Abingdon-based Pc Phil Redmond, the Rev Roger Faulkner, a volunteer from Banbury, and Sgt Wendy Greenslade, from Criminal Justice in Banbury. Officers receive the awards following 20 years’ service.