Chesterfield brothel keeper denies writing advert for escort with '˜sexy bum you can spank'

Meyrick Bramhill-Purchase told a court the words used in the ad were “a long way from the ones I would use”.

And the 64-year-old also said “everybody” thought he was getting sexual favours from girls running massage parlours at properties he rented but he wasn’t.

Bramhill-Purchase and co-accused Mo Quan Zhou are alleged to have brought prostitutes over from the Far East and made them work in the properties.

Derby Crown Court has previously been told how the prosecution say the pair took almost half of the working girls’ earnings and also used them for free sexual services for two years.

Flats in Derby, Lincoln, Chesterfield and Sheffield were set up and advertised as legitimate massage parlours, but instead were used to home sex workers who were protected by “nannies” working for the two men, it is alleged.

Zhou, 45, of London Road, Derby and, Bramhill-Purchase, of Muntjac Way, Witham St Hughs, Lincolnshire deny the charges against them.

Prosecutor Vanessa Marshall, cross-examining the older of the two men, read out to the court an online advert for one of the girls in which the masseur said she had “a lovely body and a sexy bum you can spank and feel”.

The advert also read how the girl “loved kissing, touching, intimacy” and was “open-minded about fantasies”.

She said to Bramhill-Purchase: “Did you write that advert for her?”

He replied: “I have no idea who wrote that, it’s a long way from the words I would use.”

Miss Marshall said: “It makes it very clear what’s on offer though doesn’t it? It’s sex?”

Bramhill-Purchase replied: “That’s your interpretation.”

Opening the case last month, Miss Marshall told the jury of nine men and three women how its case was that the two defendants, over a two year period, conspired together with others to set up brothels, largely in the East Midlands.

She claims they arranged for Oriental girls to travel from property to property so they could work there as prostitutes.

Miss Marshall said: “These men took a cut of the profits or at the very least got sexual benefits from the girls.

“An Oriental keeper, or nanny, lived in the properties and looked after the females that came to work there.

“They would give them food and protect them from trouble from customers and handled the money that changed hands.”

During cross-examination Miss Marshall named one of the girls and asked Bramhill-Purchase: “Was she a prostitute?”

He replied: “She performed massage.”

Miss Marshall said: “You sent her a (text) message saying ‘how may customers have there been today’ to which she replied ‘three’.

“Why were you interested in how many customers she had if you were not getting anything out of it as you say?”

Bramhill-Purchase replied: “I was interested.”

Miss Marshall asked: “Why?”

He replied: “Why not?”

Miss Marshall said: “She thought you were using the other girls for sex?”

Bramhill-Purchase replied: “Everybody, everybody, everybody (did), but it’s all wrong.”

Miss Marshall said Bramhill-Purchase was working as a lorry driver for Eddie Stobart and Zhou was a Chinese national who had moved to the Lincoln area from his previous home in Ireland in around 2014 to work in restaurants.

He then later moved to an address in London Road, Derby.

The charges against both men are that between May 9, 2015 and May 11, 2017 they arranged or facilitated the travel of another person with a view to that person being exploited, caused or incited them to become a prostitute and controlled their activities in relation to prostitution.

They are also charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another with a view to sexual exploitation between May 9 and July 30, 2015.

It is alleged that a number of properties, which were operating as massage parlours, were used as brothels.

They included a flat in London Road and another above a convenience store in Uttoxeter Old Road, both in Derby.

The others are in West Bars, and Hall View, both in Chesterfield, another in Abbey Lane, Sheffield, and at addresses in Newport, Station Street and The Forum, all in Lincoln.

The trial continues.