GARDAÍ who raided a
brothel in Letterkenny last night found new clothes
bought by a mother as Christmas gifts for her
children, a court heard today.
Romanian nationals Veronica Baicu (28) and Madalina
Bargan (20) admitted using an apartment in
Letterkenny as a brothel. Their solicitor, Patsy
Gallagher, said his clients were "vulnerable" woman
who were trying to earn money for their respective
families back home.
Buncrana District Court heard that gardai got a
tip-off that a property, at 35 Glenveagh Court,
Justice Walsh Road, Letterkenny, was being used as a
brothel.
They set up surveillance during which they saw a
number of men entering and leaving the property. A
warrant was issued and gardaí swooped last night at
10.20pm.
No clients were in the apartment at the time but
€875 in cash, laptops, condoms and other items were
found.
Garda Paul Harris told the court he found new
clothing for "young kids" in the property.
Ms Baicu and Ms Bargan, who had no previous
convictions, had moved into the apartment just two
days earlier and had paid the rent up front, the
court was told. They had advertised their services
on a "well known" escort website.
The court heard that Ms Baicu was a divorced
mother-of-three children, aged 8, 10 and 12, who had
suffered domestic abuse in the past.
Ms Bargan had elderly parents in rural Romania to
whom she regularly sent money. Ms Bargan had
previously suffered a "traumatic" assault and
robbery by a client in the Midlands, the court
heard.
Mr Gallagher said the women's operation was entirely
their own "with no element of human trafficking". He
asked Judge Paul Kelly to allow the defendants to
donate to charity while leaving them enough money
for a flight home. However, Judge Kelly said there
appeared to be a perception abroad that there was
money to be made in Ireland. "That needs to be
discouraged," he said. He convicted and fined each
of the women €300. He allowed them to keep the
remaining €275 to pay for their return travel to
Romania. |
