City Matters Edition 050

CITYMATTERS.LONDON 27 September - 03 October 2017 | Page 5
News Matters
Where the party
at? Not the City
LUXURY LIFESTYLE OF SQUARE MILE BROTHEL RACKETEER OVER
THE Square Mile
Woman behind £180-an-hour
might be celebrating a
new lease on nightlife
with a slew of bar and
restaurant openings, but
residents are keeping
sex ring jailed
things quiet at home,
according to a recent
report into the number of
noise complaints about
partying neighbours.
FOI information
obtained by property
company sellhousefast.uk
revealed the City of
London had the fewest
noise complaints of any
borough in the Capital
in 2016; just 128 of the
142,634 complaints
received London-wide.
Decibels
By contrast, Newham
was named the borough
with the wildest parties,
with an average of 16
complaints about noisy
revellers per day, 5,935 in
2016 overall.
Haringey, Kensington
& Chelsea, Islington,
and Hammersmith &
Fulham rounded out
the top five house party
destinations in the
Capital, while the music
is kept a few decibels
lower in Havering,
Harrow, Bexley, Brent
and Lewisham, which
recorded the fewest
complaints.
THE woman behind a ‘VIP’ brothel
racket in the City will swap her luxury
lifestyle for a prison cell after being
jailed for three years.
Graziela McNamee, 38, and husband
Brendan McNamee, 34, were sentenced
at Inner London Crown Court on
Tuesday after their Square Mile sex ring
was blown open by police.
Raids on residences in Middlesex
Street, Friar Street, Fleet Street, Poppins
Court, and Kelvin Gate in Bracknell,
Berkshire, in April last year uncovered
an extensive operation that offered
‘exclusive’ services to City workers.
Consequences
During the trial, the court heard
how clients would pay £180 an hour in
exchange for sex. Graziela used the cash
to purchase a five-bedroom home, jet
off on holiday, and privately educate her
children.
“The sentence represents the
successful conclusion of a detailed and
comprehensive investigation, and one
with important consequences for the
City of London and beyond,” said DC
Brendan Kennedy.
“Not only has this undoubtedly
prevented further exploitation of the
young women who were found working
here, but has also stopped the antisocial
behaviour associated with active
brothels.
“This will bring peace of mind to the
residents living and working in these
areas, and enforces the reputation of the
City of London as a safe place to live,
work and visit.”
The investigation initially stemmed
from complaints from residents of
Middlesex Street, who were suspicious
about the activity taking place within
one of their neighbour’s properties.
An investigation into the apartment
found the registered tenant to be Graziela
McNamee, who had rented the property
since June 2015.
Further research found her to be the
director of a company, City Sensations,
which openly advertised sexual services
online.
More properties in the Square Mile
were linked to Mrs McNamee, with
tenancy agreements at three more
locations, including one in Friar Street,
which she had rented since April 2014.
This was compounded by discarded
rubbish found on the street, which
cleaners suspected was consistent with
an active brothel, including price lists
and women’s names.
Cars owned by Graziela and her
sex ring director:
Graziela McNamee
husband travelled throughout the City
frequently, as well as to locations in
Bracknell. Further investigations linked
Mrs McNamee with the Bracknell
address.
On 27 April 2016, both she and her
husband were arrested at their home
address, while search teams carried out
warrants at each address suspected of
being linked to brothel activity.
A total of 12 women were discovered
within the various properties, while
subsequent analysis of mobile phones
found across the different flats also
revealed substantial evidence of
messages pertaining to the brothels sent
by both McNamees. A parallel financial
investigation conducted by the City of
London Police asset recovery team also
ensured that acquired assets were seized.
When the couple were arrested,
Graziela’s new Land Rover Discovery
and a quantity of cash was seized and
detained under the Proceeds of Crime
Act.
Restraint orders were also sought and
granted against their house in Hunton
Bridge, Herts, along with numerous bank
accounts. A confiscation investigation is
now under way post-conviction.
No evidence of people trafficking
or exploitation was found during
the investigation, and officers have
worked with the women found at the
locations to offer appropriate support,
assisted by agencies which provide
help to individuals working in the sex
industry.
The pair were convicted of five
counts each of controlling, managing
or assisting in the management of a
brothel.
Graziela, who will serve 36 months
behind bars, was also convicted of
possession of criminal property, and of
converting criminal property.
Mr McNamee was handed a 12-month
custodial sentence suspended for two
years, with a requirement for 150 hours
of unpaid work. A confiscation hearing
will also take place at a later date.
A third person also charged with
offences linked to the case was found not
guilty following a trial.