Brothel owner told to sell BMW

Franklin Lynch and Michelle Dasic were both fined

The owner of an "efficient and discreet" Cardiff brothel has been told to sell his BMW to pay a £5,000 fine.

At Cardiff Crown Court Franklin Lynch, 50, of Grangetown, Cardiff, admitted two charges of living off the earnings of prostitution and was also given a four-month suspended sentence.

Receptionist Michelle Dasic, 27, also from Grangetown, admitted controlling prostitutes at the Cardiff premises.

She was fined £2,000 and told to do two years community rehabilitation.

The court heard that raids on the Executive Sauna massage parlour in Whitchurch Road uncovered items like leopard skin dog collars and fluffy handcuffs.

There was a door entry system and 24-hour surveillance cameras.

There were two leopard skin dog collars, various leather restraints and pink fluffy handcuffs Eugene Egan, prosecuting

The 10 - 15 employees were given clean towels and condoms. A local authority nurse provided regular check-ups while there were strict rules against the use of drugs and alcohol.

Judge John Durham Hall told Lynch: "You ran efficiently and discreetly a fully functioning and successful brothel near the city centre of Cardiff.

"You had regard for the safety, health and hygiene of your staff and premises. There was nothing naive, second-rate or particularly sordid about your business".

While prostitution involved the "humiliation, degradation, exploitation and intimidation of often very poor and oppressed women", Lynch was not "party to coercion or corruption", the judge said.

Dungeon room

The court heard that customers had to pay £10 entrance fee and once inside they could choose from a price list detailing "services" costing from £35 to £150.

Eugene Egan, prosecuting, said one of the rooms in the parlour was described as a dungeon and had a cage and bondage equipment including stocks.

"Customers would go into the Executive Sauna and pay £10 to get in. Prostitutes would then go into reception one-by-one and introduce themselves".

"The customer would then select one of the girls. The customers paid cash to the prostitute directly and she would pay a percentage of her earnings to the receptionist," said Mr Egan.

During a raid by police and immigration officers, where mainly foreign nationals were found working, Mr Egan said items were seized from the "dungeon" room.

"There were two leopard skin dog collars, various leather restraints and pink fluffy handcuffs".

Defending Lynch, Kevin Seal said he charged £200 an hour as a personal fitness trainer and had taken over the business in 2003 and had intended to turn it into a health and leisure centre.

But, he said, Lynch " never appreciated the capital required to convert it. He was effectively lured into carrying on the business that was there".

The court heard the massage parlour had a turnover of £120,000 a year, but overheads - including a £600 a week laundry bill - were very high.

Marian Lewis, defending Dasic, said she paid income tax and national insurance and "thought the business was legitimate because of the she was paid and what she had been told by Mr Lynch".