A TRANSPORT consultant appeared in court yesterday charged with operating brothels and living off the earnings of prostitutes.
Thomas Lyons (54), The Warrens, Malahide, Co Dublin, was charged with seven counts under the Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act, and one count of making a false statement to gardaí.
Zelandia Silva (43), The Matthews, O’Callaghan Strand, Limerick, was also charged with seven counts under the Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act. Mr Lyons and Ms Silva – a Brazilian native – were each charged with three counts of operating brothels at apartments in Limerick City between August 2010 and June 2011.
They were both also charged with three counts of living off the earnings of prostitution from the apartments they owned or rented at Riverpoint, Bishop’s Quay, Bridgewater House, Harvey’s Quay in Limerick, and at Grove Island Road, Corbally.
The pair were charged too with one count of organising prostitution at Brown Thomas, O’Connell Street, Limerick, on February 2nd, 2011 – during which it is alleged they each controlled or directed the activities of more than one prostitute, or compelled, or coerced a person to be a prostitute.
Mr Lyons is also charged with making a false statement to gardaí regarding a burglary at an apartment at Riverpoint, Limerick, in August 2010. Both were arrested yesterday after presenting themselves at Henry Street Garda station, Limerick.
Solicitor for Mr Lyons and Ms Silva, Ted McCarthy, applied for bail on behalf of the two accused.
Gardaí said they had no objection provided they agreed to certain conditions. Det Garda Vincent Brick said, Mr Lyons had been “the subject of a 2½ year Garda surveillance investigation”, and “has assets outside of the country”.
Mr Lyons and Ms Silva were each granted bail on €500 personal bonds. They were also ordered to surrender their passports and, to sign on twice-weekly at their local Garda stations.
They will appear in court again on September 5th.