A MAN with learning difficulties who claims he was held in servitude has told Oxford Crown Court this morning he was made to feel a part of the defendants' family.

Nick Iliff told the court he called the Joyce family's parents "mum and dad" and joined in birthday parties, weddings and Christmas celebrations.

But he alledges Christopher Joyce, his two daughters Mary Joyce and Helen Collins and his son Timothy Joyce Senior - of Redbridge Hollow, Old Abingdon Road - would make Mr Iliff collect and clean scrap metal, paint sheds and chairs, tie Christopher Joyce’s shoelaces, sweep the site and pick up dog mess.

This morning, the Joyces' barrister Graham Bennett suggested they treated him as a member of the family, to which he replied "yes".

Mr Bennett said: "It was a big family living there."

Mr Iliff, 51, replied: "Yes."

Mr Bennett said: "And you became part of the family in a way."

Mr Iliff said: "In a way."

Mr Iliff appeared to the court via a video link from a remote location where he was sat with an intermediary to help him understand.

Mr Iliff had been employed by the Joyce family since the 1980s, originally being paid £20 a day by Michael Joyce, who was later imprisoned in a separate case, to help him and his wife, a jury was told.

After Mr Joyce was jailed, the prosecution said Mr Iliff became the ‘servant’ of his father Christopher Joyce, and three of his other children.

Christopher Joyce, 81, Mary Joyce, 59, Timothy Joyce Senior, 44 and 44-year-old Helen Collins, all of Redbridge Hollow caravan site, deny conspiracy to hold another person in servitude and conspiracy to require another person to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Christopher Joyce and his daughters also all deny conspiracy to defraud Mr Iliff of state benefits paid to him.

Joyce Senior denies one count of assault by beating. Ms Darke said this charge relates to when officers entered Joyce Senior’s home to arrest him and he leapt from his room and threw a glass of water in a police constable’s face.

The alledged crimes came to light when Mr Iliff was arrested in February, and told police he did not want to go back to the campsite.

The trial continues.