Brothel madam 'exploited women'

A brothel owner who ran sex saunas in London with her actress daughter has been ordered to hand over £400,000 in takings or go to jail.

Karen Peachey, 49, and her daughter Jane, who appeared in The Bill and the BBC drama Sex `n' Death, ran two saunas in Bexley and Leyton High Road.

They were caught when an undercover police officer posed as a client following an extensive surveillance operation.

Southwark Crown Court heard the lucrative businesses made a £753,000 profit in just under five years.

Women exploited

Earlier this year Karen Peachey, who lives with her daughter in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, admitted two counts of controlling prostitution.

Jane Peachey was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £1,500 in costs after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting her mother to control prostitution.

The court heard that Jane Peachey had played the part of a receptionist, welcoming clients and telling them to "have fun".

Judge Peter Fingret was told that Karen Peachey's assets included a £307,000 home, a £34,000 interest in another property, a £16,000 Mercedes, and thousands of pounds in jewellery and cash.

Imposing a 140 hour community service order, he told the brothel madam that her "exploitation of women" had clearly made her a "considerable sum of money".

He ordered her to pay the £400,000 within 12 months or face two years in jail.