A MAN and woman have made their first appearance at Bradford Crown Court charged with running a brothel at Gallon House in Burnett Street, Little Germany, in the city.
Sajjad Ahmed Khwaj Sultan, 39, of Blakeridge Mill, Upper Blakeridge Lane, Batley, is charged with arranging or facilitating a woman with a view to her being exploited, raping a woman and keeping or managing a brothel.
Ana Maria Stoica, 24, also of Blakeridge Mill, is charged with arranging or facilitating travel of a woman with a view to exploitation on April 22 and assisting in the managing of a brothel used for prostitution.
Sultan yesterday appeared on a video link to Leeds Prison and Stoica on a video link to HMP Newhall.
The case was heard by Judge Jonathan Gibson using the Cloud Video Platform technology to link up with the barristers and a Romanian interpreter for Stoica.
A trial, expected to last at least seven days, was fixed for March 15 next year.
Judge Gibson told the defendants it was listed so far ahead because the coronavirus pandemic had caused a backlog of cases. He remanded them both back into custody.
A further case management hearing will take place on September 4.
Frances Hertzog, Stoica’s barrister, said she would be making a bail application before then.
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