Thomas Lyons, aged 57, of The Warren Malahide and Zelandia Silva, aged 46, with an address at O’Callaghan Strand, Limerick, pleaded guilty to three counts of brothel-keeping at Bishop’s Quay, Harvey’s Quay and Grove Island between August 2010 and July 2011.

Lyons received a four-year suspended jail sentence and Silva was given a suspended 18-month jail sentence.

Judge Tom O’Donnell said it was a sophisticated operation conducted in a commercial manner, but said it was a “joint operation” between the accused.

“Society might call for jail sentences but I have a responsibility to look at all the circumstances in a case,” he said.

Sgt Vincent Brick told Limerick Circuit Court that Lyons, a native of Newcastle West, was a transport consultant and did work for Limerick City Council, and also Dublin County Council as a traffic engineer.

He had sponsored co- accused Silva to study English when she came to Ireland in 2004.

They entered into a romantic relationship and commenced running what Sgt Brick described as the biggest brothel operation of its kind in the Limerick region.

He said a surveillance operation code named “Freewheel” had been organised into prostitution in Limerick.

The two accused’s modus operandi involved Lyons renting apartments from auctioneers and letting agents in the city.

He then linked up with women working as prostitutes by contacting them on an escort website.

Lyons rented apartments for €750 a month and sub-let them to prostitutes for €700 a week.

Lyons transported prostitutes in his Mercedes car, for which he also charged.

Sgt Brick said the apartments rented by Lyons were high class in good areas of the city and the women he hired as prostitutes were sophisticated.

During raids carried out by gardaí under Chief Supt David Sheahan and Det Supt Jim Ryan, gardaí came upon prostitutes and men in apartments rented by Lyons.

In one apartment, two prostitutes were found being protected by two security men armed with a stun gun.

Sgt Brick said all the deals relating to the leasing of properties were carried out by Lyons.

Both made full and frank admissions when arrested.

Lyons had a number of properties, including one in Lanzarote which had been purchased for €240,000.

He said the Criminal Assets Bureau had been dealing with Lyons.

Sgt Brick said Lyons had one previous conviction which related to brothel-keeping in Dublin for which he had received a suspended sentence.