A COUPLE from Berkeley who ran brothels in Bristol have been sentenced.

Philip Stubbs and Julie Gatty, of Hook Street Farm, were convicted of keeping brothels for prostitution at a trail in March this year.

Stubbs was also found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon in a separate trial last month, following the discovery of a machine gun from a tank in his home.

Stubbs, 69, was sentenced to a suspended two year jail sentence for the brothel offence, and a six month term to run concurrently for the firearms offence.

Meanwhile Gatty, 60, was sentenced to 120 hours unpaid community work.

The pair had denied keeping brothels between November 2009 and March 2012 after an investigation involving undercover police and surveillance led them to being charged with managing two brothels at separate properties – “From China with Love” on North Street in Bedminster, and “Panache” at Highland Crescent in Clifton.

In carrying out a warrant in March 2012, at the farm in Berkeley where the pair lived, officers found more than 100 cars in a temperature controlled basement, including Mercedes, Bentleys and Lamborghinis, as well as an indoor swimming pool.

A proceeds of crime hearing has been scheduled for a later date, following an application by the Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

DC Emma George who led the investigation said: “These sentences should act as a warning to anyone involved in running a brothel, that we will investigate, prosecute and bring them to justice. Ultimately, they could end up spending time behind bars.

“The fact that we are now pursuing their assets through the Proceeds of Crime Act shows that we are committed to recovering money and other assets that have been derived from crime and sends a message that crime does not pay.

"The defendants have refused to accept their guilt throughout the entire legal process and have cost the tax payer a small fortune by attempting to delay things for as long as possible.

“Stubbs is clearly in denial and thinks he is above the law, as he still does not accept his guilt despite being convicted twice at two separate trials.”