Takeaway owner 'ran brothels'

A takeaway boss ran a string of brothels in the Black Country and Worcestershire, operating a "chicken house system" to move prostitutes around, a court heard.

Police raided the brothels in March last year and found girls on the premises with men who were known as "uncles" who they found were looking after the running of the premises and taking bookings.

Fei Zhang is accused of operating brothels – thinly disguised as massage parlours and escort agencies – and his trial was resuming today at Worcester Crown Court.

The court has heard he used what was described as a "chicken house system" in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley and Worcester where women were moved around so they could not put down roots.

Zhang, aged 39, who lives in Barking, Essex, denies conspiracy to traffic for the sex trade and also conspiracy to control prostitution.

The court heard Zhang seemed to lead a normal existence running a Chinese takeaway business in his home town, living with his wife and child.

However, Prosecutor Jonathan Gosling alleged Zhang controlled the sex business with properties found in the four towns used to ply for trade. Mr Gosling added that brothels, one which was in Worcester's Broad Street, were simultaneously targeted by police in raids on March 21, 2007.

Zhang had also been seen in Worcester on November 28, 2006, when he went to a paper to place an advertisement for the brothels, the court was told. The trial is expected to last two weeks.