Essex family jailed for exploiting women for prostitution
06 May 2011
A family outfit who made hundreds of thousands of pounds by exploiting women for prostitution have been jailed for a total of three and a half years.
Clyde Standing, 68; his wife Lyubov, 32; and Clyde's 42-year-old son James were sentenced on Thursday 5 May at Croydon Crown Court after setting up and running three 'saunas' which were in fact a front for prostitution.
"These individuals exploited vulnerable women for their own profit; spending their ill-gotten gains on expensive holidays and lavish items."
The group from Essex also ran a fourth unconcealed brothel out of a residential flat above shop premises.
The east London venues were open 24 hours a day and exclusively employed women from Eastern Europe, predominantly of Romanian nationality. A total of 17 women were found at the premises and subsequently referred to victim reception centres. Throughout the course of their "employment" they were expected to work 24-hour shifts, with their time often divided between two of the venues.
Inquiries revealed that either father or son would attend each of the 'cash only' premises on a daily basis to collect their share of the takings - believed to be around 50%.
Both men drove top-of-the-range cars (a Bentley and BMW) and the family spent in the region of £75,000 on foreign holidays over a two-year period. A receipt for a piece of jewellery for £12,000 in the name of Lyubov was also found by officers.
Just after midday on a day in June 2010 Clyde was arrested by detectives and found to be in possession of £2,770 having just attended the three 'saunas'.
Later the same day his son James was arrested at their home address in North Weald, Essex. At the property officers recovered £12,700 in cash from within a safe in a bedroom. A further £1,000 was discovered in a bedroom drawer.
Correspondence relating to all four premises was recovered, which detailed the amounts of money taken. It was discovered that on average the family were profiting by around £16,000 a week.
When asked about the presence of his name on the tenancy agreement for two of the premises, James replied: "Because I'm stupid".
Lyubov was arrested via appointment on 13 July 2010. Despite claiming that all money spent by her had originated from her native Ukraine, she was unable to explain to officers why she called each of the brothels twice a day.
The trio were charged on 17 July 2010.
On 30 March this year, James and Lyubov appeared for trial at Croydon Crown Court. During proceedings James pleaded guilty to his involvement. Lyubov was later convicted by a jury. Clyde had pleaded guilty prior to the trial.
DS John O'Brien, of the MPS Human Exploitation and Organised Crime Unit, said: "These individuals exploited vulnerable women for their own profit; spending their ill-gotten gains on expensive holidays and lavish items.
"The court result is a testament of our commitment to pursue those involved in this type of abhorrent crime and hold them accountable for their actions."
The three were sentenced as follows for conspiracy to control prostitution:
Clyde Standing, 68, of Thornhill, North Weald, Essex - 18 months imprisonment.
Lyubov Stending, 32, of Thornhill, North Weald, Essex - 12 months imprisonment.
James Standing, 42, of Willingale Road, Debden, Essex - 12 months imprisonment.
A count of money laundering was left to lie on file for each defendant.
- Clyde Standing
- Lyubov Stending
- James Standing