North women in debt forced into prostitution

Mar 1 2009 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

EVIL loan sharks are forcing North women into prostitution to pay off their debts, the Sunday Sun can reveal.

A specialist team set up to crackdown on illegal money lenders in the region has uncovered examples of terrified housewives being forced into prostitution to pay off loans at huge interest rates.

The North East Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) based in Middlesbrough was set up by the Government a year ago this week.

Already it has more than 80 investigations underway into loan sharks and the total value of the loans being looked into is £340,000.

David Sayer, who heads the team from a secret location on Teesside, said: “Every district in the North has at least one loan shark, from Berwick to Teesside.

“Some estates have more than one, they will divide the takings between them.

“They will use violence, intimidation and even force women into performing sexual services to pay off their debts. This is going on every day across the North East.”

Mr Sayer, Chair of Governance for the North East Illegal Moneylending Team, said the team was aware of 86 loan sharks operating across the region, and 20 have already been arrested.

As well as being charged with illegal moneylending, some have been charged with indecent assault, witness intimidation and assault.

Mr Sayer said one woman had been attacked in a pub for reporting a loan shark. Others had said they were offered the opportunity to pay off their debts by having sex with loan sharks and their friends.

He said: “We know of loan sharks actually soliciting sex from their clients.

“It’s a case of ‘if you can’t make your payment there are other ways you can pay’.

“We made an arrest recently after a woman made an allegation of sexual assault, and when we asked if she knew him she told us he was her loan shark.

“That case is still under investigation at the moment and what our people are doing is working with the woman — as they do everyone — to encourage them not to use loan sharks and help them to manage their lives and their finances.”

The 20 arrests mean victims had been saved a potential £250,000 while £42,000 in cash had been seized from the sharks.

Last week six suspected loan sharks were arrested and £10,000 in cash seized following police raids on three homes in Hartlepool, Teesside.

Officers from Hartlepool Police and the North East Laundering Team swooped on a house in Catcote Road and two others in Seaton Lane.

They said large amounts of cash were recovered.

Two men, aged 23 and 21, and a 53-year-old woman were arrested at the Catcote Road address, while a 33-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were arrested at one of the Seaton Lane houses.

A 62-year-old man was arrested at the other Seaton Lane address.

All six were arrested on suspicion of engaging in activity without a licence under section 39 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 – money laundering.

They have been bailed pending further inquiries.