BROTHELS operated in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks raked in £1 million in profit and funded villas in Spain, a court heard.

The Spanish villas mainly involved Gerard Carroll, of Whetsted Road, Five Oak Green, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

The 51-year-old admitted trafficking people within the UK for sexual exploitation. He and Moi Chua, 47, of Mercer Street, Tunbridge Wells, admitted conspiracy to control prostitution and transferring criminal property.

Paula Marshall, 41, of The Freehold, Hadlow, denied three charges of conspiracy to control prostitution. No evidence was offered against her and she was discharged.

Richard Milne, prosecuting, said Chua was controlling prostitution in Mercer Street, although she did not accept it. She claimed she was paid £200 a week in wages for cooking and cleaning for prostitutes.

She said in a basis of plea: “I realised the business was not a massage parlour after a while."

Chua, who is Malaysian and could now be deported, accepted she played a part in the brothel’s management.

Mr Milne said Chua was the one “prevailing face” at the brothel from December last year to March. Different call girls who appeared there every week were controlled by Chua.

By pleading guilty, he said, Chua, who was known as Rita, accepted she was controlling prostitutes.

Carroll admitting he was involved in controlling prostitutes at brothels in Quarry Hill, Sevenoaks, Elm Lane, Tonbridge, and another in Lincoln.

He said he met “Rita” while visiting the Mercer Street brothel and became involved in controlling prostitutes. He added he was paid £450 a week.

“There are extensive confiscation matters to be dealt with,” Mr Milne said. “We are talking about a million pounds in benefit. There are villas in Spain.”

Bail applications for Carroll and Chua were refused by Judge Martin Joy.

Adjourning sentence until December 12, he said the offences were serious and substantial prison sentences were inevitable