A 64-YEAR-OLD man ran a brothel in St Neots to provide financial security for his daughter.

A 64-YEAR-OLD man ran a brothel in St Neots to provide financial security for his daughter.

Peterborough Crown Court was told on Friday (June 10) that George Graham Humphrey of The Green, Woodwalton, ran a brothel at 40 St Mary’s Street under the name of Studio 1 Massage Parlour.

His daughter lived in the flat above the brothel.

The ‘services’ were advertised as A1 Massage in a national newspaper - Humphrey was said to have spent �5,000 on advertising in the Sport between August 2009 and July 2010. He also ran a website to promote the women and the services they provided.

But Humphrey was arrested following a sting involving three undercover police officers who posed as potential clients.

After initial phone calls to enquire about sex services and prices, one of the officers visited the brothel and was offered a range of services by a woman in her underwear. The court was also told that Humphrey, who was said to have suffered anxiety and depression since being arrested in 2009, used a voice distorter to disguise his voice when taking calls from clients.

Humphrey, who pleaded guilty to keeping a brothel under section 33a of the 1956 Sexual Offences Act, was arrested following a police raid.

He was sentenced to 16 months in prison, of which he must serve eight before being released on licence.

Judge Enright told the defendant: “It seems to me that there is enough evidence here of a significant commercial operation, and evidence of your involvement in the prostitution of others.

“The majority of the business conducted at Studio 1 was the provision of sexual services for money.”

He added that Humphrey had used a device to disguise his voice “because males coming for a massage would be put off if another male answered the phone.”.

Humphrey blew a kiss to family and friends in the public gallery before being led from the dock.

Mitigating, Caroline Allison said that Humphrey had inherited the brothel from his ex-wife in a divorce settlement and had already started winding down the business in preparation for his retirement.

She said while he regretted his behaviour and the way he conducted his business, he still maintained his sole purpose for keeping the business was for financial, not sexual, motives.