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| Pair jailed over £8m Birmingham Libra Club brothel | Pair jailed over £8m Birmingham Libra Club brothel |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A father and son who ran a brothel which made an estimated turnover of £8m have been jailed. | A father and son who ran a brothel which made an estimated turnover of £8m have been jailed. |
| Achilleos Neophytou, 66, and his son Stefanos Neophytou, 25, ran Birmingham's Libra Club, which attracted up to 200 clients per day. | Achilleos Neophytou, 66, and his son Stefanos Neophytou, 25, ran Birmingham's Libra Club, which attracted up to 200 clients per day. |
| The pair, who had admitted keeping a brothel used for prostitution, were each jailed for 27 months. | The pair, who had admitted keeping a brothel used for prostitution, were each jailed for 27 months. |
| Club manager Martin Tierney was given a suspended 10-month jail term. Three women were handed community orders. | Club manager Martin Tierney was given a suspended 10-month jail term. Three women were handed community orders. |
| For more on this and other Birmingham and Black Country news | For more on this and other Birmingham and Black Country news |
| All six defendants had previously pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to offences committed between 1 January 2010 and 1 February 2015. | All six defendants had previously pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to offences committed between 1 January 2010 and 1 February 2015. |
| 'Conveyer belt of prostitution' | 'Conveyer belt of prostitution' |
| Judge Richard Bond said Achilleos Neophytou was the "controlling mind" of the club, which was advertised as a "massage parlour". | Judge Richard Bond said Achilleos Neophytou was the "controlling mind" of the club, which was advertised as a "massage parlour". |
| He said officers who raided the property in February 2015 found there was "not a massage table in sight". | He said officers who raided the property in February 2015 found there was "not a massage table in sight". |
| Instead, they discovered a "highly-organised conveyer-belt of prostitution", where sex workers had been taken advantage of. | Instead, they discovered a "highly-organised conveyer-belt of prostitution", where sex workers had been taken advantage of. |
| "Women don't ordinarily choose to become prostitutes," he told the court. | "Women don't ordinarily choose to become prostitutes," he told the court. |
| Neophytou and his son were told they would serve half of their sentence in prison and the remainder on licence. | Neophytou and his son were told they would serve half of their sentence in prison and the remainder on licence. |
| Cyprus-born Achilleos Neophytou previously ran a chain of fish and chip shops in Wolverhampton before turning to the sex trade. | |
| His son Stefanos grew up in the brothel business and became the club's day-to-day boss, the court heard. | His son Stefanos grew up in the brothel business and became the club's day-to-day boss, the court heard. |
| Clients paid £65 for 30 minutes with a sex worker who kept £40 of the fee, the prosecution said. The club made at least £25 from each transaction, as well as charging a £10 entrance fee. | Clients paid £65 for 30 minutes with a sex worker who kept £40 of the fee, the prosecution said. The club made at least £25 from each transaction, as well as charging a £10 entrance fee. |
| The prosecution estimated the brothel's turnover was £1.7m a year and raised some £8m over five years. | The prosecution estimated the brothel's turnover was £1.7m a year and raised some £8m over five years. |
| 400 Viagra pills | 400 Viagra pills |
| Tierney ran the club and took publicity shots, the court heard. The 50-year-old, of Sheffield Road, Sutton Coldfield, received a sentence suspended for two years. | Tierney ran the club and took publicity shots, the court heard. The 50-year-old, of Sheffield Road, Sutton Coldfield, received a sentence suspended for two years. |
| "Madams" Anita O'Donnell and Marilyn Egan, both 55, were given 12-month community orders. | "Madams" Anita O'Donnell and Marilyn Egan, both 55, were given 12-month community orders. |
| The latter collected the club's money and officers found £28,000 in cash and 400 Viagra pills at her home, the court heard. | The latter collected the club's money and officers found £28,000 in cash and 400 Viagra pills at her home, the court heard. |
| The pair, of Slade Lane in Hall Green, and Elmwood Court, Edgbaston, were also given electronic tag curfews. | The pair, of Slade Lane in Hall Green, and Elmwood Court, Edgbaston, were also given electronic tag curfews. |
| Club receptionist Ogun Olufunlola, 30, of Roseby Street, Springhill, was handed a 12-month community order. | Club receptionist Ogun Olufunlola, 30, of Roseby Street, Springhill, was handed a 12-month community order. |
| The police raid involving 50 officers followed a series of incidents at the club, including an arson attack, a firearms incident and several outbreaks of disorder. | The police raid involving 50 officers followed a series of incidents at the club, including an arson attack, a firearms incident and several outbreaks of disorder. |
| Officers said at the time up to 20 women had been working there. | Officers said at the time up to 20 women had been working there. |
| A proceeds of crime investigation will take place to find out what happened to the money made at the club. | A proceeds of crime investigation will take place to find out what happened to the money made at the club. |
| Ch Insp Chris Mallett, of West Midlands Police, said: "Fortunately no-one was injured during the firearms or arson offences but brothels often attract wider criminality and organised crime. | Ch Insp Chris Mallett, of West Midlands Police, said: "Fortunately no-one was injured during the firearms or arson offences but brothels often attract wider criminality and organised crime. |
| "It prompted a lot of concern from within the community and its closure has given them some peace of mind and shows we take such illegal operations seriously." | "It prompted a lot of concern from within the community and its closure has given them some peace of mind and shows we take such illegal operations seriously." |