Couple charged with organising prostitution

Another man and woman were arrested and charged today as part of an ongoing investigation into prostitution in Cork.

Tony Linnane (aged 53) and Caroline O’Leary (aged 42) both of Scartbarry, Watergrasshill, County Cork, were arrested by Inspector Declan O’Sullivan and Detective Garda Damian Moloney and brought before Cork District Court.

They are each charged with 42 counts, 21 of which are for the organisation of prostitution, the other 21 of which are for keeping of brothels.

The charges refer to two addresses, 26 John Street and 18 Grafton Street, Cork, on dates between January 2006 and May 2007.

State solicitor, Barry Galvin, applied to have the cases adjourned until January 6, 2010 when it is anticipated that Linnane and O’Leary will be served with books of evidence.

As agreed between the prosecution and defence solicitor, Donal Daly, a bail bond of €50,000 and lodgement of €5,000 cash was required for Linnane while O’Leary was remanded on her own bond of €5,000 without a cash lodgement.

In a related case, two other defendants had their cases returned for trial at the next sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court on February 8, 2010 on Monday.

Julieanne Gibson of Springvale, Old Youghal Road, Cork, faces 42 separate counts and Bobby Healy of Mervue Lawn, Ballyvolane, Cork, faces 12 counts.

The charges against Gibson (aged 41) are of organising prostitution at Grafton Street and John Street by controlling one or more prostitutes (21 counts) and keeping or managing brothels at the two addresses (21 counts) on various dates in 2006 and 2007.

Healy (aged 48) faces six counts of organising prostitution and six of keeping or managing brothels in November 2006.