A WIDNES man was found to be running a prostitution business from his own home after officers received reports of a suspected brothel.

Lewis Loftus recruited sex workers, organised for them to meet with clients, and placed adverts on escort websites.

He threatened the workers with fines or even to sack them if they ‘cut him out’ and freelanced their own customers.

One of the main giveaways of Loftus’ offending was the high volume of cash passing through his bank account which was ‘not in correlation with a man who was on state benefits’.

The 30-year-old appeared before Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to controlling prostitution for gain.

Prosecuting, Kevin Liston said how Loftus’ offending took place over a two-year period from September 2021 to October 2023.

He said that there was originally suspicion that Loftus was operating a brothel from his home on Margaret Court in Widnes.

Mr Liston told the court that in May 2022, the defendant was arrested for inciting prostitution for gain, but no witnesses came forward.

At the time, Loftus’ phone was seized but he refused to give a pin number to unlock it.

In March 2023, he was then arrested for other matters and a further phone was seized.

This time, he gave officers his pin code and they found that it unlocked the seized phone from the year before.

Here, evidence of Loftus’ prostitution organisation was revealed.

Messages revealed communications with sex workers and Loftus arranging for them to meet with clients.

There was also evidence of him talking of recruiting sex workers, of him speaking of the cut he takes from them, and of him calling himself ‘the boss’.

Mr Liston also said that the high volumes of cash passing through Loftus’ bank account were not in correlation with a man who was on state benefits.

The number of women working for Loftus is unknown, however Liverpool Crown Court heard how it was at least five.

It was also heard how he promised the workers they could expect to earn beyond £1,500 per week.

Loftus, who was subjected to a suspended sentence order at the time of this offending, has 12 previous convictions for 26 offences.

Defending, Paul Wood said the background of the offending is that his client’s mental health deteriorated during the lockdown and that he became addicted to class A drugs and alcohol.

He also said how Loftus has suffered with his mental health for a long time, that he has ADHD, and that he may be tested for autism in the future.

Mr Wood told Liverpool Crown Court: “He is a defendant who lacks maturity.

“He may be 30 years of age, but he is somebody who is not fully developed as far as his maturity is concerned.”

Concluding, Judge Denis Watson said: “The picture became clear that you were involved in controlling prostitution over a two-year period.

“You are not somebody of good character, you are far from it.”

Loftus was handed a 27-month prison sentence.