Altrincham pub shut down over brothel claims has licence revoked

The Railway in Altrincham was closed after the police raid

A pub where police found a trafficked woman being used for prostitution has had its licence revoked.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) raided The Railway in Altrincham on 13 February and arrested two people.

They were held over offences connected with the trafficking of sex workers in a brothel. They have not been charged and both deny the allegations.

The pub on Manchester Road was closed but Trafford Council has now stripped it of its licence.

The pub landlords have 21 days to appeal the decision.

Trafford council solicitor James Parry said: "In one of the upper rooms of the premises they discovered a woman who said she was a sex worker who advised the police in a statement captured on body-worn video that she had been trafficked to the premises."

The hearing was told that the woman was paid in crack cocaine in return for having sex with customers in an upstairs room.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said Manchester Magistrates' Court had issued a closure notice "as a result of the premises being used as a brothel".

The council's licensing sub-committee heard that the two arrested people deny the allegations. They are on police bail until 14 May.

Mr Parry said the council's decision was "made in the interests of public safety".

He added: "It is not a criminal matter."