Wolverhampton brothel raid madam admits running den

Condoms, dressing-up costumes, whips, furry handcuffs and lace underwear were also found in Annie's Massage, which was being managed by June Turner.

Turner, of Fourth Avenue, Low Hill, pleaded guilty to running a brothel at Luton Crown Court. The 54-year-old was given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

The court heard how police swooped on Annie's Massage in Guildford Street, Luton, on January 28. Mr Edward Lewis, prosecuting, said police found a woman having sex with a customer during the raid. She told the police she came to the UK four years ago from Lithuania and was living in St Albans. She said she had worked as a masseur offering sexual services for the past eight months.

Mr Lewis said the woman refused to make a statement to the police and had returned to Lithuania the next day. Her customer also refused to make a statement, but said he had paid £50 for sex. A total of £399.32 was found in a safe at the premises. The court heard that Turner was arrested at the scene and later charged with running a brothel. She was last before the courts in 1993 for street loitering offences, Mr Lewis said.

In a police interview, she said she had come down from Wolverhampton that evening to sort out payments. She said the business was known as Annie's Massage and simply offered massages and not sexual services.

Mr Dan Hart, defending, said Turner had taken the lease for the property for someone who was in prison.

She had received very little payment, amounting to no more that £70 a fortnight. "She was acting under the direction of a third party," he said, adding that the girl had not been coerced to work there.

Judge Michael Kay QC ordered Turner to abide by a curfew between 8pm and 6am for three months and that the £399.32 be forfeited.