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A councillor was discovered inside a brothel “covered in lipstick” when police were carrying out a search, a court heard.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard on Friday that a warrant was executed by police on May 8, 2015, at a property in a residential area of the town.

The property in Regent Street, in Dowlais, had been used as a brothel for around a year.

Leon Hall, 36, appeared in the dock for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to one count of keeping a brothel used for prostitution.

The court heard the father-of-three previously worked in the construction industry and had “reasonably well-paid” employment.

Christopher Rees, prosecuting, said police searched the property, run by Hall, in May 2015.

The court heard that a man called Brent Carter was inside the property. Mr Rees said Mr Carter arrived at the property, where the door was answered by a woman.

They both went inside and within a few minutes police had also entered the property.

Mr Rees told the court Mr Carter was “covered in lipstick”.

Speaking of the general use of the brothel, Mr Rees said: “Neighbours described seeing men arriving there all hours of the day and night and described hearing sexual activity at the address.”

The court heard items discovered at the brothel included Durex products, including Durex play gel.

“The property was full of that sort of material.”

Around £4,000 in cash was also recovered from a separate property in Beacon Heights, Merthyr Tydfil, as part of the investigation, which was stored in shoeboxes.

“Nine Regent Street was a brothel being used by a number of women to sell sexual services”, Mr Rees said.

“Mr Hall [was] taking a fee in relation to the work undertaken by the ladies – about a third. Mr Hall accepts that was the arrangement.

“The defendant was renting the property. The prosecution say it was a lucrative enterprise.”

Judge Richard Twomlow said: “Obviously he’s in it for the money.”

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Hall, of Heathland Way, Llandarcy, Neath , wore a navy polo shirt and jeans as he appeared in the dock.

Andrew Taylor, defending, said the delay in proceedings since the incident in 2015 was through no fault of the defendant.

“We’re almost two and a half years post arrest and post search. For almost two and a half years Leon Hall has known there are likely to be proceedings against him and he was facing very serious allegations.

“He didn’t tell the landlord [of the property]. All the females concerned were adults, well over the age of 18, willingly deciding to advertise and provide sexual services for money.”

Mr Taylor said some of the reasons for the women working at the brothel included supporting children and funding university education.

Mr Taylor said there was an added element of protection.

“In order to go to that property not only did you have to register on a site that he set up but you needed to provide your name, bank or credit card details and an identity.”

Judge Richard Twomlow added: “I’m not going to accept it was entirely through charitable motives.”

Defence barrister Mr Taylor added: “The clientele who were going there were people who had a degree of vetting.

“Councillor Brent Carter, a man who holds office, a man who went there, who decided to go there of his own volition, a man who went there because he trusted the premises.

“It underlines how, if you like, responsible Mr Leon Hall was in vetting people who went to these premises.

“The people who went there were not a threat.”

On Hall, Mr Taylor said: “There’s no suggestion or evidence he was running more than one establishment.”

(Image: Google)

Judge Richard Twomlow told Hall: “You rented premises at nine Regent Street. That residence was used for the purpose of prostitution.

“There was what could be described as a team of prostitutes working at that address.

“When you were interviewed you said you were operating a legitimate escorting agency.

“It seems to have been running for about a year.”

Hall was spared jail and was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for one year, and was ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

In May 2015 Merthyr council issued a press release confirming that “as a result of nuisance and anti-social behaviour” they had successfully applied to the courts for a closure order in regards to a “suspected brothel” at the address”.

The authority’s statement said the closure was sought after residents reported that the use of the premises “was causing nuisance and disorder”.

“To ensure that the nuisance behaviour did not recur the council applied for a court order to close the premises using recently enacted anti-social behaviour powers.

“The closure order was granted by the court for three months which will allow the owner of the property time to repossess the property.”

Speaking at the time, council head of public protection and housing Steve Peters said: “The evidence from South Wales Police clearly showed that residents in the area had been experiencing nuisance at all times of the day and night including the early hours of the morning and that it was causing significant distress.”

Coun Carter, a Welsh Labour councillor for the Plymouth ward on Merthyr Tydfil council, did not wish to comment when contacted.