This article is from page 3 of the 2013-02-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
GARDAÍ say investigations into prostitution in the Ennis area are ongoing following the arrest of two Romanian women in the Mill Road area of the town last Monday night.
The women were detained at Ennis Garda Station before being brought before Kilrush District Court on Tuesday morning.
Ann Maria Prisaca (19) and Anisoara Popa (25), both with addresses at 19 Millstream Court, Mill Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences Act 1993).
The charge states that the women did knowingly live in whole or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person and aided and abetted that prostitution.
The charge states that the offence was committed at 19 Millstream Court, Mill Road, Ennis on February 11 (2013).
The women were each sentenced to 10 weeks in prison. Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.
Solicitor Patrick Moylan, who represented the women in court, said they had co-operated completely with the gardaí. He said the women had become involved in prostitution in order to get money to send home to their families who live in “dire poverty” in Romania.
Mr Moylan said it had been accepted that the money was not destined for a criminal organisation.
He said the women had been in Ireland for two weeks and are eager to return to Romania.
Speaking on Thursday, Inspector John Galvin of the Clare Garda Division confirmed the arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into prostitution in the Ennis area.
Last February, an RTÉ Prime Time Investigates programme focused attention on a brothel operating in the Mill Road area of Ennis.
Gardaí in Ennis confirmed at the time that the premises had been under investigation.
Garda sources told The Clare People at the time that brothel start-ups are not uncommon in Clare but that they close as quickly as they open.
Internet advertising and mobile phone technology means that brothels can be set up and dismantled within a couple of hours.