A prostitute, who set up her own brothel with her cousins and sister-in-law after being exploited by others in the sex trade, has said she will continue to work in the industry despite ending up in court.

Mirela Macovei, 29, admitted managing a brothel in Chatham Hill, Chatham, when she appeared in before magistrates in Medway.

Macovei, who arrived in Britain from Romania in 2007, said she will continue to work as a prostitute because she has no other way of supporting herself or sending money back to her family in Romania.

She found herself in court after officers from the sexual exploitation team raided her home after a tip-off in July.

It was found that Macovei and the other women who were working as prostitutes there were also living at the address.

Because Macovei - now living in Halifax Close, Chatham - set up online profiles of the girls and managed their calls, she was charged.

The women were known as the Bad Girls of Kent and police found around nine online profiles of women who were reportedly working at the address.

Despite pleading guilty to the offence, Macovei said the only reason she set up the women's online profiles was because she was the only one who could speak English and was also the only one with a bank card.

While in court it was also disclosed Macovei had been given a caution in 2010 for a similar offence.

Representing herself, she said: "I'm sorry, I didn't force anyone. We all worked together as where we used to work they took my money from me sometimes, what can I say.

"My cousins, my sister-in-law we have been living and working together for safety. I've been beaten up and abused before. I wanted to work for myself."

Speaking after the case, Macovei said she and the other women had worked as prostitutes at the Chatham Hill address for about a year.

She added: "I'm not a bad person, I didn't hurt anyone. We thought we would get a house together and work together safely, it’s really dangerous out there and it's not easy on your own.

"I'm sorry, I didn't force anyone. We all worked together as where we used to work they took my money from me sometimes..." - Mirela Macovei

"I used to get ripped off by the people I used to work for, they were just using me for the money and I ran away from them and came to Kent.

"I can't get a job because I can't get a national insurance number and I need to pay my bills, my rent and pay for my medication, I don't get benefits.

"I have a slipped disk and have to take morphine for it, how else am I going to pay for my medication and everything else?

"We set up together as it is safety in numbers. I didn't think it was that bad, there are worse things that people do out there.

"I will have to continue working. I don't have much choice as I can't get a job - what else can I do? I have to send money back home to my family back home."

Magistrates fined Macovei £200 and ordered she pay £85 in costs.

She was warned if she ended up in court again for the same offence she would probably have to be dealt with by the crown court and could be jailed for up to seven years.