Prison for sex trafficking couple

A couple at the heart of an international sex trafficking ring in the West Midlands have been jailed for a total of 12 years and nine months.

Prostitutes at brothels in Wolverhampton, Walsall and Dudley, were little more than slaves, the court heard.

Neighbours were disturbed by night callers and the whole tone of their streets was affected by the business, a judge said.

Essex takeaway boss Fei Zhang, described as the ringleader, was jailed for eight years. Su Zhen Xu, said to be the manageress of the £400,000 a year enterprise, got four years and nine months.

Father-of-three, Zhang, 39, was convicted after a three-week trial of conspiracy to traffic for the sex trade and conspiracy to control prostitution. Xu admitted similar charges and to money laundering.

The court heard that more than 20 girls had been recruited abroad in poor areas of China and Thailand and then forced to work as prostitutes when they came to this country.

They were sold on once they had worked to pay off a £25,000 bond and were brought to the Midlands to operate in brothels in Stafford Road, Wolverhampton, Kingswinford Road, Dudley, Darlaston Road, Walsall and Worcester.

Prosecutor Mr Jonathon Gosling described it as a highly-organised international conspiracy which was operated on business lines.

Zhang was at the top with Xu as his second-in-command. She rented the premises, placed ads in local papers and also advertised on a dedicated website.

An "uncle" at the Walsall brothel Ming Jaing, 52, found guilty of conspiracy to assist in the managment of a brothel, was jailed for nine months after a separate trial, the court was told.

By Simon Stone