Landlords urged to be cautious when letting property

February 24, 2010
News from Ireland
Fermanagh Herald

A landlord who let a house in a quiet upmarket area of Enniskillen was appalled to discover that it was being used as a brothel. The detached house is situated in Old Rossory Park, one of the most sought after areas of the town.

After a tip-off, the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) raided the house on the afternoon of Friday, 19 February. They spoke to a man and a woman (thought to be Belgian), both of whom were reported to the Public Prosecution Service, the woman for keeping a brothel and the man for paying, or offering to pay, for sexual services.

It is thought that the brothel may have been one of a chain operated by Carlow man TJ Carroll who was jailed recently for seven years for running a prostitution ring. During the high-profile case which led to his conviction a link to Enniskillen was revealed.

The police inspector in charge of the investigation told the Herald that police had searched premises in the past suspected of being brothels but that this one was quite different. They have much more evidence because of the considerable numbers of people visiting the house. This is one of the giveaway signs that something untoward is going on.

There is no evidence so far to indicate that the woman, or others who were known to have been in the house, was trafficked. A spokeswoman for Fermanagh Women’s Aid said her office had not come across any trafficking in women, but stated that did not mean it did not exist in the area. An Enniskillen Councillor said he “was surprised and totally shocked over news that a brothel has been operating in the town” adding that it would be even more worrying if it was linked to international human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women and children. The town would “be very concerned were this terrible trade to appear in our midst".

The Policed have appealed to landlords to be vigilant about those to whom they rent properties.

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Last modified: Saturday, February 27th, 2010