Ex-teacher faces prison after sex-for-sale probe

FORMER teacher Robert Worrall and his photographer son Simon are facing jail after a jury convicted them of keeping a brothel.

The two men and Sandra Williams, who was hired to recruit the working girls, were found guilty of involvement in a sex-for-sale business under the guise of a massage parlour in Birmingham.

But it was a police investigation, codenamed "Operation Casual", into another brothel in Sash Court, Stafford, run by Williams and a co-accused Philip Kilday, that led to the Worralls' arrest.

The jury cleared property developer Robert Worrall of keeping the Stafford brothel while convicting Williams of the charge. The prosecution never accused Simon Worrall of involvement in Sash Court.

All three defendants were remanded on bail for reports, to be sentenced at a later date, along with Kilday.

However, Judge John Maxwell warned them: "Custodial sentences are extremely likely."

Police began their probe after complaints about men visiting the flat in the newly-built Sash Court block, directly opposite the main entrance to Stafford Prison.

There were adverts in newspapers leading punters to the flat and, in the undercover surveillance operation, police watched as a stream of men entered the premises during the day.

On May 21 last year, officers raided the premises, videotaping the operation, and found two prostitutes there.

The rented property had been turned into bedrooms, kitted out with condoms, baby oil, tissues and towels. Up to six prostitutes were using the flat, although not all at the same time. The legal definition of a brothel is a building used by more than one prostitute.

The Sash Court flat was owned by a man called Michael Heath and later leased to a Rugeley woman, Tracey Scott, who was also prosecuted for keeping a brothel, but was taken ill during the trial and removed from the jury's charge.

Robert Worrall wanted to use the flat for a webcasting service – men talking to women over the internet via webcams. His co-accused, Kilday, claimed that Robert Worrall and Williams had come up with the idea to raise the cash needed to launch the webcasting service by hiring prostitutes and putting them in the flat. Robert Worrall, though, said that was being done behind his back and he was "shocked and appalled" when he found out what had been happening.

But in the middle of last year, Robert Worrall also took over the running of a massage parlour called City Diva, in Henrietta Street, Birmingham.

Robert Worrall, aged 57 and his son Simon, aged 29, both of Grove Road, Fenton, Williams, aged 58, of Hempstalls Lane, Newcastle and Tracey Scott, aged 39, of Harney Court, Rugeley, all denied conspiracy to keep a brothel.

Judge Maxwell gave the prosecution a week to decide whether to put Scott back on trial and she remains on bail.

Kilday, aged 49, from Barry, South Wales, who admitted the conspiracy charge, is also on bail awaiting sentencing.

Celia Thorpe, senior crown prosecutor for CPS Staffordshire, said: "The evidence revealed the defendants intended a sophisticated operation in Sash Court and Henrietta Street working to the kind of business models one would expect to be found within a legitimate company.

"This conviction will serve as a deterrent to others seeking to profit from prostitution. The prosecution will now seek to seize assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act."