A young Romanian woman who was trafficked into the UK with the promise of a waitress' job ended up being forced to work as a prostitute in Leicester, a court heard.

The 22-year-old wept yesterday afternoon as she told a jury that threats were allegedly made to harm her daughter back home if she did not work as a vice girl.

She was held captive, had all her earnings taken from her and could not speak any English, it was claimed at Leicester Crown Court.

When she finally managed to escape and flee to London, she was allegedly kidnapped and bundled into a car before being put on a train for Leicester.

She managed to get off the train before it departed, and ran away again.

Romanian nationals Georghe Avram (25) and his girlfriend, Georgina Toma (24), as well as their Leicester-based associate Kirit Rabheru (59), all deny trafficking the woman into Britain for sexual exploitation between November 2010 and January last year.

They also jointly deny, along with Toma's friend, Claudia Ghenciu (33), of Victoria Road East, Northfields, Leicester, falsely imprisoning and kidnapping her.

Avram and Toma, both of no fixed address, also deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after their arrest, by offering to pay the alleged victim to tell the police she had lied about the allegations.

Speaking through an interpreter, the woman said she had considered Toma a friend in Romania and agreed to come to England, believing she had a job lined up as a waitress.

Her air fare was paid for and she was taken to Rabheru's home in Shirley Street, Belgrave, where she was kept indoors for a week, not allowed to leave.

She had no money and her phone was not working.

The first she allegedly knew about working as a prostitute was when she was blindfolded and taken by car to a club on London Road in the city.

The woman said: "We went inside and Georgina (Toma) told me it was the place I'd be working as a prostitute.

"She said if I wasn't going to work willingly she was going to harm my daughter."

She claimed Toma told her how much she was to charge and later took her earnings from her.

Prosecutor Mary Prior said: "The victim was trafficked against her will and made to work as a prostitute against her will. She was obliged to work in two clubs, dancing and performing sex acts for money."

A woman who worked at the first club later told the police she saw the alleged victim arrive on her first day looking scared and it was clear she was being "pimped."

She described Ghenciu, who worked at the club, as the eyes and ears of Toma, who would regularly call to check how many clients the alleged victim had.

Mrs Prior said the alleged victim was also required to have sex with Rabheru after work "as payment of rent" for living at his home.

The trial continues.