Mr Gumpert said the defence would argue that there was no servitude, no forced labour, but rather a rough bargain which enabled men who would otherwise have wasted their lives away in drink and dependency to have meaningful lives as part of the Connors family.
The defendants all deny charges of conspiracy to hold another person in servitude and conspiracy to require a person to carry out forced or compulsory labour.
All four are charged with three counts of conspiracy to hold a person in servitude and three of conspiracy to require a person to perform forced labour.