Arrests as officers swoop on suspected brothels in city

Officers have targeted a number of premises during a week-long operation.

On Friday, they carried out raids on two addresses. On Beckside Road, police forced entry to a terrace property and arrested two men, aged 23 and 37, as well as two women, aged 25 and 23. An amount of cash and a number of documents were also seized.

An address in Laisterdyke was also visited where a 25-year-old woman was arrested. Mobile phones and business cards were seized.

All were brought into custody on suspicion of managing and keeping a brothel for the purposes of prostitution.

Both women from Beckside Road were given cautions while no further action was taken against the men.

The 25-year-old woman arrested from the Laisterdyke property was bailed pending further inquiries.

The operation follows an earlier raid on Monday, May 28, at an address on Fagley Place where two women, aged 19 and 21, were arrested alongside a 43-year-old man. Both women were cautioned after admitting managing and keeping a brothel. The man was released without charge.

Insp Vicky Lawrance said: “The running of brothels in our neighbourhoods is a form of anti-social behaviour and it is important that we disrupt those involved and prevent their activities from continuing.

“Some are emerging in areas where families with young children live nearby and we are not prepared to accept the negative effects it can have on our residents and businesses.”