Derry brothel keeper sentenced to 60 hours community service

A brothel keeper has been sentenced to 60 hours of community services at Londonderry Crown Court.

Paul McGrory 54, from Ard Fada, Derry, sub-let a three bedroom house to prostitutes over a nine month period in 2016.

The court heard McGrory paid £115 per week in rent for the house, but charged the women £350 per week for each room.

McGrory admitted to managing the brothel, acquiring criminal property totalling £17,375 from the operation.

He used some of the money to pay-off a credit card bill of £7,668.

The court heard that McGrory ran the brothel in the Rosemount area between February and November 2016.

'Scantily clad woman'

The police interest in McGrory initially started as an investigation into human trafficking.

However, the prosecution accepted McGrory was not involved in human trafficking and had not coerced the prostitutes, taken a cut of their earnings or withheld their passports.

Judge Babington said the police had received a number of complaints from residents in Argyle Street who stated they had seen men walking up and down the street at various times of the day and night.

The men would then receive a phone call and go to the front door of the house which would be answered by a "scantily clad woman".

'Not a pimp'

McGrory confirmed he made contact with the prostitutes on the adult website Escorts Ireland.

During sentencing, Judge Babington accepted that McGrory had not been involved in human trafficking or obtaining clients for the prostitutes.

"You were not a pimp, but by your activities you have upset the good law abiding people of Argyle Street," he said.

The judge also imposed a three year Enhanced Combination Order on McGrory and told him if he breaches any instructions set by his probation officer, he could face a jail sentence.