A brothel madam made more than £1m from running sex dens in New Malden and Surbiton for over a decade.

Dorothy Jones, 64, of Dunvegan Close, March, Cambridgeshire was sentenced to 30 months in prison yesterday at Kingston Crown Court for a range of offences relating to the running of the brothels between 2003 and 2014.

The brothels were known as Sapphires’ at 214A Burlington Road and Annabella’s at 27 and 29 St. James Road.

Jones, pleaded guilty to cheating public revenue, fraud, keeping brothels and money laundering back in March and the prosecution argued that she had avoided paying hundreds-of-thousands of pounds in tax.

Defence counsel John Blandford described his client as “no Lester Piggott” referring to the former jockey who was sentenced to three years in prison in 1987 over a £3m tax fraud.

He said: “She is no Lester Piggott. She has not deprived the country of millions.”

Mr Blandford also argued that the girls working at the brothels were treated well and that is why they were allowed to run for so long.

He said: “There are so many brothels in an around London [the police] haven’t got the time or resources.

“[The police] made welfare visits to make sure that there were no underage girls, trafficked girls etc.

“To say all prostitutes are exploited is not the reality.”

The court heard how Kingston police were aware of the brothels and visited the Burlington Road property, known as Sapphires, that was leased by Jones at least once.

Jones was also said to have not filled in a tax return until 2008 and the few she filled in after that claimed she on a very lower income that did not reflect the estimated £95,000 a year the brothels were racking in. 

Mr Blandford said: “Right from the start [Jones] accepted she had not paid tax and pleaded guilty right from the outset.”

Jones’ husband Stephen was also sentenced to 180 hours community service for making false representation relating to lying on the couples mortgage application.

Friend Denise Oliver of Springfield Place, New Malden, was handed a 12 month community order and 120 hour unpaid work for money laundering after £1220, believed to have been made by girls in the brothels, was found in her home.  

Got a story? Call the newsdesk on 020 872 6318 or email rachael.burford@london.newsquest.co.uk