Man charged with organising prostitution in Dublin city

A 62-year-old man based in Cyprus was today charged with organising prostitution in the Dublin region.

Paul Humphreys was arrested on Saturday night following Garda raids on four premises in the city.

At Dublin District Court, Garda Deirdre Conway said she arrested him at 11.15pm in an apartment at Harty Court in the Lower Ormond Quay and took him to Bridewell Garda station.

He was charged with organising prostitution in the Dublin region under section nine of the Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act 1993.

“He made no reply to the charges,” said Garda Conway.

She told the court that Humphreys was currently residing in Cyprus and had been in possession of an airline ticket to return to the island when he was arrested.

“He is a very wealthy individual. He was in possession of €30,000 when arrested,” she said.

The court heard that Humphreys had told gardaí that there was over €600,000 in an account in his name in Cyprus.

Garda Conway said that the 62-year-old, who was originally from Cork, held a British passport which was now in the possession of the Gardaí. But she told judge William Early that she was objecting to Humphreys being granted bail because he had no ties to the jurisdiction.

“I believe that if he is given bail, he will leave the jurisdiction and he will not return,” she said.

Humphreys, a grey-haired man with a grey moustache sat in court with his legs crossed and his hands resting on them. He was dressed in a black suit and a white open-necked shirt. He had a pink handkerchief tucked in the front pocket of his suit jacket and a camel coat resting on the bench beside him.

His solicitor Aine Flynn said he was very anxious to get bail because he suffered from angina and was 60% deaf.

She said he was prepared to sign on at a Garda station and added that there was nothing to suggest he had a history of breaching bail.

But Inspector Pat Lordan of Store Street Garda station took the stand to outline his objection to the granting of bail to Humphreys.

“He has control over four premises in Dublin at the moment. He could give any of those addresses in court today,” he said.

Inspector Lordan told the court that he was satisfied that once the landlord of the premises at Harty Court became aware of this case, Humphreys would not be allowed to reside there any longer.

He said the 62-year-old had not lived in Ireland for at least five or six years and was running quite a large business in Cyprus.

“He claims disability benefit at an address in Portmarnock but he does not reside at that address either. I’ve talked to the man living there and he is a friend of Mr Humphreys,” he said.

Inspector Lordan told the court that Humphreys was facing a very serious charge and added that while Gardai were in possession of his British passport, he did not expect this to deter him from leaving the jurisdiction.

Judge Early said he did not think he could refuse bail in the absence of any evidence that Humphreys would breach it.

He granted bail on condition that Humphreys entered into his own bond of €50,000, with half of this sum to be lodged.

He said an independent surety of €100,000 would also be required, with half of this to be lodged.

Under further bail conditions, Humphreys must sign on twice daily at the Bridewell Garda station, agree not to apply for a new British or Irish passport, and notify the Garda if he moves from his address at Harty Court.

Judge Early remanded him in custody with consent to bail and ordered him to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday to await direction from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Humphreys was arrested as part of Operation Quest, the Garda investigation into prostitution in the Dublin area.