News / Crime
Four-year sentence for human trafficker and brothel keeper
A man convicted of human trafficking and brothel-keeping offences has been jailed for 49 months after driving women to brothels around the country and being linked to one in Bedminster.
62-year-old Joseph Pike of York Road, Bedminster was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on June 11 after pleading guilty to his crimes.
He was also handed a seven-year slavery and trafficking prevention order which will restrict his behaviour and which, if breached, could result in an additional five-year prison sentence.
Police arrested Pike after finding his details on a phone seized as part of a separate investigation into human trafficking.
Messages on the phone show him agreeing to pick women up from the airport and transport them to a brothel in Bedminster. He also drove them to other brothels around the country, including in Sheffield, Kings Lynn and Hemel Hempstead.
When police arrested Pike on February 25, they found two sex workers at his home with a phone that linked him to the Bedminster brothel.
Investigating officer DC Daniel Wasiuk said: “Human trafficking is an appalling offence which causes long-term damage and harm to victims.
“We hope this arrest and conviction shows our dedication to identifying trafficking offences and bringing those who exploit others for their own gain to justice.”
Wasiuk also urged the public to contact police with any concerns or suspicions they have about potential trafficking or brothels, noting how important information from the community can be in exposing such crimes.
Main photo: Avon and Somerset Police
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