A COUPLE have been handed an 18 month jail sentence for running three “seedy and depraved” brothels - two of which were in Suffolk.Anthony Pryor , 69, and his Chinese wife Quing Hua , 37, were both in tears as Judge David Turner handed out the sentences.

A COUPLE have been handed an 18 month jail sentence for running three “seedy and depraved” brothels - two of which were in Suffolk.

Anthony Pryor , 69, and his Chinese wife Quing Hua , 37, were both in tears as Judge David Turner handed out the sentences.

It had taken the jury at Chelmsford Crown Court less than two hours to unanimously convict the pair of keeping three brothels at Chevallier Street in Ipswich, Rayne Road in Braintree and at Flint Lodge, off Newton Road, in Sudbury.

In handing out the sentence Judge Turner said although there was no evidence the prostitutes they used were forced into sex work he described the couple's crimes as “shameful and shabby”.

Judge Turner also noted that although the couple were not involved in people trafficking their Chinese immigrant prostitutes those they had associated with probably were.

He said the couple - who had based their operations from their home on The Plain, Epping - “drew in young women into their depraved arrangements” and made “a lot of money”.

Addressing Anthony Pryor the judge said: “You thought it was easy money and I think you were the driving force in what happened.

“You have now lost your relatively good character and with your age you are now you will be virtually unemployable - your future is very bleak.”

Addressing his co-defendant Judge Turner said, because she was an illegal immigrant, that at the end of her sentence her fate would be placed with immigration officials and would probably face deportation.

He said: “You cynically and opportunistically engaged in this crime. These were shameful and shabby offences about which you lied and lied.”

A small fortune the couple had amassed amounting to tens of thousands of pounds from running their illegal business will now be subject to a proceeds of crime report and confiscated.

The Pryors were told to expect to serve half of the 18 month term and half on licence.