Brothels best way to get vice girls off the streets

Jan 28 2005 By James Glover And Nick Coligan, Daily Post

THE Chief Constable of Merseyside yesterday called for licensed brothels for Liverpool's prostitutes rather than the managed zones backed by councillors.

Bernard Hogan-Howe said the city council had not asked for his views before an overwhelming majority voted in favour of a designated red light area on Wednesday evening.

And Mr Hogan-Howe added that the general public would never accept a prostitution zone.

He added: "In Britain it's difficult to see how any area where people live or work would be suitable to be used in this way.

"In my view exploring other provisions in certain types of licensed premises would be a better way forward as that is something which does not bring nuisance value to the community of the area.

"If there were licensed premises on offer for prostitutes it could possibly be the last chance for us to protect the most vulnerable ones."

Mr Hogan-Howe spoke out the day after the council chamber voted to seek Home Office approval to get current laws changed so they can get a managed zone operating.

Five areas, off London Road and Jamaica Street, had already been earmarked as possible areas, but local businesses have lobbied the council to get them to look elsewhere.

Of the vote for such a zone, Mr Hogan-Howe said: "The city council has not asked my views on vice zones."

He added: "Unless there was a change in the law we would continue to enforce the rules regarding street prostitution.

"I think that the nuisance caused by street prostitution will always be a problem for the police to resolve. I'm not sure this would get rid of street prostitution, but it could reduce it."

Cllr Flo Clucas, city council executive member for community safety, said: "We have consulted frequently with senior officers and would expect them to have briefed the chief constable.

"Members of the Police Authority actually visited Utrecht, the model we are looking at, and officers from Utrecht came to Merseyside to discuss elements of the scheme last year."

Councillors are confident a managed zone is the best way to handle the city's prostitution issues and say girls working in its managed zone would be helped to get their lives back on track with drug treatment, medical help and somewhere safe to live.

They insist it would be very different from red light tolerance areas in places like Amsterdam and Hamburg, where unregulated street prostitutes with serious drug problems work alongside massage parlours and sex shops.

The council will launch its Streetreach programme at the start of April, offering some of the aims of a managed zone.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We raised the question of managed zones in our consultation paper on prostitution, called Paying the Price.

"We are looking into the pros and cons of such zones, but it would require primary legislation to make them legal.

"Any change to the law would be subject to the usual Parliamentary process."

Zones a bad idea for Liverpool, says Lady Doreen > > >