Police led to brothel on Albyn Road Deptford by pensioner’s Sat Nav

Officers had discovered wraps of cocaine in the boot of 69-year-old Dogan Salih’s car after they pulled him over last January. 

An address on Albyn Road had been entered on his Sat Nav and when officers arrived they found a two-bed flat which had been converted into a brothel. 

At least one sex worker was present when officers arrived and found drawers full of sex toys, lube, toothbrushes and wet wipes. 

Salih had keys to the brothel and analysis of his phone revealed that he had helped to run it by sorting any problems for sex workers and clients, prosecutor Andrew Dowden said. 

Salih later pleaded guilty to acting in management of a brothel and on Thursday (March 27) he appeared at Woolwich Crown Court. 

He also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis resin with intent to supply after police raided his home on Alexandra Street in Deptford, finding a large Sainsbury’s bag full of cannabis and snap bags. 

Salih said he had been holding the drugs for another person. 

His barrister, Estelle Thornber, said: “Mr Salih is a man who found himself coming off the path he had been on his entire life.” 

Gambling and cocaine issues contributed to his offending and led to him getting ejected from his family home, Ms Thornber said. 

Judge James Thacker KC said Salih shows limited remorse for his behaviour. 

“I’m informed that your remorse is somewhat rehearsed and you see yourself as the victim. You have no victim empathy or awareness about the exploitation of sex workers,” Judge Thacker said. 

“People who involve themselves in the sex work industry, other than the sex workers themselves, prop up an industry full of risks and exploitation.” 

He handed Salih a nine-month prison sentence but decided to suspend it for 18 months, citing that UK prisons are overcrowded. 

Salih was made the subject of an electronically monitored curfew for four months and the judge warned him: “If we meet again, I will have no hesitation in sending you to prison.”