A man who rented a series of flats so he could rake in thousands in cash by subletting them to prostitutes was today facing jail.
Angus Binnie took out the leases of three flats in Dundee’s Hilltown and Ladywell areas from a reputable letting agency in the city.
He then advertised them for short term rental on various websites – and charged itinerant prostitutes massive fees of up to £600 a week to use the flats in residential blocks to ply their trades.
When the properties were entered by police the women openly admitted to using the flats as brothels – and told cops they had been rented to them by Binnie.
One told a cop that one of three phones spotted in a bedroom was her “sex phone” while another told officers she offered “massage and hand relief” services to clients.
A third was found with an Ann Summers bag on display in a bedroom used for sex work.
The three flats were in Dundee’s Mid Road – yards from Dundee FC’s Dens Park stadium – nearby Stirling Street and Weaver’s Loan.
Fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie told Dundee Sheriff Court that many of the sex workers had come to Dundee from out of town, with Binnie meeting them at the train station and conveying them to the properties.
She said: “One woman paid him between £500 and £600 for five days rent.
“They provided their services from the flat but were interrupted by police.
“They freely stated they were working as prostitutes.
“Sex toys, condoms and lubricants were found there.
“At another property there were a number of bottles of baby oil found at the foot of a bed and three mobile phones.
“The lady there said one of them was her ‘sex phone’.
“When the accused was traced by police near one of the properties.
“He stated he had rented the properties.
“He said one was for people from his work and another was to make money.
“He said he had listed them on Gumtree and on Booking.com for short term lets.”
Binnie, 62, of Dens Road, Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to allowing premises to be used for habitual prostitution between March 20 2017 and April 24 last year at three addresses in Dundee.
His not guilty plea to four charges of human trafficking, one of living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution and one breach of bail were accepted by the Crown.
Defence solicitor advocate Kris Gilmartin said: “This is a case where reports would be beneficial to the court and if that is the path to be followed I will reserve mitigation.”
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports and released Binnie on bail meantime.
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