Partially-clothed women, oil and baby wipes were found at two addresses which were barely furnished
Dongping Xiao was jailed for running a brothel in a flat in Deritend
A dad who stayed in the UK illegally has been jailed for running two brothels hidden in housing blocks in Birmingham.
Police found Dongping Xiao at properties in Alfred Knight Way in Edgbaston and the Abacus Building apartment block on Alcester Street, Deritend.
Two scantily clad women were present at both premises along with items associated with sex work such as baby wipes and oil in the bedrooms.
READ MORE: Birmingham woman spent 16 years in prison for a ’21-month’ crime – now she’s in jail again
Xiao, 42, is a Chinese national and an illegal overstayer in the UK.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of running a brothel but it was believed he was doing so for someone else higher up the criminal chain, a court heard.
Xiao was sentenced to 12 months at Birmingham Crown Court.
The apartment block at Alfred Knight Way
Police attended the address at Alfred Knight Way on September 30 last year.
Prosecutor Gary Cook said Xiao made ‘conspicuous efforts for them to talk to him outside the property’.
He continued: “Officers persuaded him to let them in. Two females were within the property wearing very little clothing.
“It was sparsely furnished and oil and wipes were in the bedrooms consistent with sex working.
“As police entered a customer was leaving the premises, he proffers he came for a massage.”
Xiao was then at a flat at the Abacus Building which police raided on February 9 this year.
The Abacus Building in Deritend, Birmingham
Mr Cook confirmed two ‘scantily clad’ women were also present at the address which had little furniture and the ‘paraphernalia consistent with sex work’.
The prosecutor told the court: “The defendant claimed to be at the address because he had nowhere else to go.
“He said he had been there for a month. He asserted he cooked and cleaned and he was there to look after them.
“He’s in this country illegally and has no status.”
One of the women said she picked up work on the street and charged between £30 and £60.
Dongping Xiao(Image: West Midlands Police)
Xiao was found with £760 in cash on him while bank cards and correspondence in his name were discovered at the address.
Messages on his phone showed he was in discussion with the landlord about rent payments.
Tony Montgomery, defending, confirmed Xiao’s family, wife and child remained in China.
He said: “There is a hierarchy to criminal enterprises of this sort.
“Somebody higher up offered this employment in this enterprise. He unwisely took it.”
Judge Andrew Smith, passing sentence on Wednesday, April 15, told Xiao: “At the time you committed these offences you were an overstayer in the UK.
“The brothels were in the overall control of others higher up in the chain.
“Your role was to look after the accommodation, to open the door to customers.”