Pair jailed for running brothel

A former Northern Rock employee has been jailed for running a brothel with his Thai mistress.

Stephen Hodgkiss rented a property in Darlington for his partner, Waraporn Dodds, which was used as a massage parlour but offered "extra services".

Hodgkiss, 44, maintained that he never personally profited from the business.

He was jailed for eight months, and Dodds, 38, for six, after the pair, of St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle, admitted running a brothel.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the former IT consultant was asked by Dodds to acquire a property in Darlington after a massage parlour she ran in Jesmond was closed following a police raid.

Many people find themselves in debt and do not resort to criminal offending Judge Christopher Prince

He rented the property in Major Street, Darlington, in his name, furnished it and spend thousands of pounds advertising "services" in a newspaper.

He also placed bulk orders for condoms.

The court was told that the women, who were not coerced into working there, offered legitimate massages but kept any money they made for offering sexual favours.

Dodds, who along with Hodgkiss was aware of the situation, sent the profits back to her family in Thailand.

Tom Moran, defending Hodgkiss, said his client had lost his high-flying job when Northern Rock collapsed last year and had built up debts from overseas property deals.

Judge Christopher Prince told the pair: "You both played equal roles. You were partners in this and in life.

"Your own family circumstances provide little mitigation. Many people find themselves in debt and do not resort to criminal offending.

"But I accept that these debts may be one factor that caused you to act out of character in a criminal fashion.

"You have now lost your good character and that will have a very adverse affect on your employment prospects."