A year-old nurse who claimed she was forced to become a brothel madam by her NHS wages has been jailed for running two massage parlours. At Manchester Crown Court, Howard fought back tears as she admitted keeping two brothels and money laundering.
However, Howard claimed she couldn't be prosecuted because police in Manchester operated a unique tolerance policy which had allowed her to pedle her trade as long as she didn't use underage girls.
The successful company ran advertisements in local newspapers until the publications stopped accepting their ads, at which point they turned to online advertising and ads on review sites like punternet. Following Taun's death in , his brother Robert Taun, 51, inherited his share of the company and set about upgrading the existing premises, installing bondage rooms and TV lounges.
She said: 'Police recorded video footage of rooms with individual and double beds, a profile book with pictures of the girls, showers and TV lounges. Blind eye: Howard claimed she couldn't be prosecuted because Manchester Police tolerated the sex trade. Ms Landale added: 'When interviewed by police, Marcia Howard said that she owned a half share of the business. She said she didn't know that the money was the proceeds of crime.
However, when police raided her home they found material on her computer for promoting and advertising the brothel's services. The court heard she gave advice to the girls working there on what kind of underwear to wear and how to conduct themselves, and the judge rejected the claim that she didn't know what the business was.
