Locations
Nelson Street, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE30
Description
Women came in through Manchester Airport to work in brothels
A couple who trafficked vulnerable sex workers into the UK via Manchester Airport to work in a brothel have been jailed.
Fabiani Alvez De Souza, 42, and her husband Gareth Derby, 53, were found guilty at trial of a number of offences following a large-scale police investigation into prostitution identified them.
Officers working under North Yorkshire Police's 'Operation Oasis' began investigating the pair in 2017 and spoke to five sex workers on Bower Road in Harrogate.
On the third visit in December 17, North Yorkshire Police said it 'became clear that a brothel was being operated' from the flat. Officers said that another woman was facilitating the travel of the workers to the UK and that 'she was involved in the management of their activities'.
Yorkshire Live reports that De Souza rented the flat and then created, posted and even paid for adverts on an adult website under 'Escorts and Massages' alongside part of a Harrogate postcode.
At the same time, she also paid for similar adverts in the South Wooton/PE30 area which related to another rented address on Nelson Street in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.
Investigators also found that De Souza and Derby were paying for flights from Lisbon, Amsterdam and Brussels to the UK and train and road travel from airports across the country to the flat in Harrogate, and another rented flat in Kings Lynn.
Police said that in September 2017, the pair travelled to Manchester Airport to collect a woman who had travelled from Amsterdam. They then drove her to the flat in Harrogate and the next day an advert was posted to an adult website and the couple returned to Kings Lynn.
The investigation showed that De Souza was controlling her activities and that between October 25 and 30, two more cash deposits of 500 and 600 were made into her bank account in Harrogate.
Financial records showed that De Souza then paid 70.98 for an EasyJet flight for the same woman who flew from London Stansted to Amsterdam on October 29.
A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: "Following this, three cash deposits were made in Harrogate to De Souza's bank account in varying amounts from 163 to over 1,000.
"Neither De Souza or Derby were in Harrogate when these deposits were made."
Officers from both North Yorkshire Police and Norfolk Constabulary visited the couple's home in Walpole St Andrew, Kings Lynn, and spoke to a woman they had previously seen at the flat in Harrogate.
Another woman who was involved in prostitution was found at the address and De Souza was arrested.
Derby was later arrested and a financial examination showed the couple had spent thousands of pounds setting up the business, but had received cash deposits of more than 40,000 during a six-month period.
They were both found guilty at a trial at Leeds Crown Court of a number of offences including controlling prostitution for gain.
A jury heard De Souza and Derby had exploited seven women between the ages of 26 and 60 from Brazil, Portugal and Spain and they were jailed for five years.
They were also made the subject of slavery and trafficking orders that will last for 10 years after their release from prison.
Detective Constable Leah Kitchen from North Yorkshire Police's Organised Crime Unit said: "De Souza claimed throughout the investigation that she was just helping friends of hers who were working as prostitutes, while Derby repeatedly told the police that he was unaware of what was going on.
"The truth of the matter is that they, together, were operating an illegal business involving human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain.
"This is an important case as it is a victimless prosecution for a human trafficking and controlling prostitution investigation, which is unusual and more difficult to progress to court.
"I'm very proud that North Yorkshire Police, with assistance from Norfolk Constabulary, have rooted out this activity and brought the offenders to justice."
De Souza was convicted under the Sexual Offences Act of eight offences of controlling prostitution for gain, along with seven offences under the Modern Slavery Act for arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.
Derby was found guilty of two charges in relation to controlling prostitution for gain and arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.