A dad pocketed “significant” sums of money by running “escort agency” Pure Innocence.
Ian Cullen has been caught pimping for a second time as he placed up to nine women under his control as part of his illegal business. The operation found a pregnant woman he had employed as a sex worker leaving a hotel in Liverpool city center looking “extremely anxious and distressed”, while also instructing her to visit truckers off the main roads.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Monday, that police were called to the Ibis hotel on Dale Street at around 8.45am on September 14, 2021, and found a pregnant woman “in an extremely anxious and distressed state”. She told officers she worked for an escort agency called “Pure Innocence” and Cullen, of Anglesea Road in Walton, was her “boss”.
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Prosecutor Philip Astbury told how the 45-year-old was a sex worker before she met him as a client and wanted to work for him, and how her first “job” came at the Malmaison hotel in 2017. He then continued where he left off. He will work for Cullen again in spring 2021 and will be paid £150 per hour – of which he will keep £80.
However, the remaining £70 owed to him was often not paid, as he claimed he had debts relating to the previous period he had worked for him and that he would “only pay the debt”. The woman, who was a “class A drug addict”, estimated Cullen had around nine women working for him in total.
He would be given a “driver called Ken” to take him to meet clients, while he would ask them to buy condoms for £1 for a fee of £5. Most of them were said to be truck drivers; including being taken to meet one of them in his taxi by the East Lancs Road.
On the day in question, she said, detectives were instructed to meet a Romanian man who “insisted on playing the gang rape video.” His driver left him alone and he tried to leave, but he became “suspicious” of the taxi that came to pick him up and eventually sought refuge with the hotel staff.
Merseyside Police later went to Cullen’s home and found a black Nokia phone “hidden behind the sofa”. This mobile phone contained a series of messages consistent with the woman’s account and included “requests for girls, including details about their age and breast size.”
The number was also used to advertise the services of sex workers on websites such as Viva Street, Secret Hostess and Escort 46. Cullen had four previous convictions for six offences; these included a 14-month prison sentence in 2016 for controlling prostitution for profit using a business covered by this law. same name.
Gerald Baxter, defending, told the court: “The defendant committed this offense in 2021. His life has moved on in many respects.
“He’s not in trouble anymore. The focus of his life seems to be taking care of his son.”
Cullen admitted controlling prostitution for the purpose of profit and possession of cocaine in relation to a small amount seized from his address following his arrest. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
Sentencing, Liverpool Honorary Recorder Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “You knew exactly what you were doing and what the risks were. “There is no doubt you did it for financial reasons.
“There was at least an element of exploitation. You weren’t forcing these women to do what they did, but I have no doubt that you were exploiting them.”
“It’s a pretty miserable business for everyone involved, but you guys were away from each other. You were able to enjoy significant financial gain by doing very little.
“You have made various statements suggesting that all you have done is run a companion service. This is complete nonsense designed by you to minimize your involvement.
“You realized there was a real risk of going back to prison after you were caught. This all happened some time ago.
“There is no evidence that you have done anything similar since then. I am aware that you have a significant responsibility towards your young son.
“I have no doubt that you are committed to him and willing to protect his welfare. You must understand that your commitments and responsibilities to him are the only factor that persuaded me not to send you to prison. The only reason you are not going to prison immediately today.”
Cullen will be required to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, up to 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirements and a thinking skills programme, as well as a two-year restraining order. He replied: “Thank you, sir, thank you.”
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