Carrickfergus 'pimp' jailed for four months

A man has been jailed for four months after being convicted of the offence of controlling prostitutes for gain.

Michael Hill, 39, of Plantation Avenue, Carrickfergus began hiring out limos for stag parties but ended up managing prostitutes from two apartments in the city centre.

Belfast Crown Court heard Hill was “partly responsible” for leasing one apartment and was also guarantor for a second flat which was rented using fake identification.

It is understood he had flown women in from overseas on “shift patterns for a number of weeks”. He had also been involved in sending letters to neighbours thought to be “the opposition” and had alerted them to what was going on in their area.

A defence lawyer said there was no suggestion of “paramilitary or gangland involvement” or “underage sex or people trafficking” and he added that Hill was a “reasonably successful businessman” and was “perhaps as a small cog within a larger wheel”.

Hill had earlier pleaded guilty at Belfast Magistrates’ where the maximum sentence is six months.

(JM/KMcA)