Belfast man acquitted of brothel-keeping after prosecution offers no evidence

A Belfast man has been acquitted of running a brothel after the prosecution said it was offering no evidence against him.

Brian Gillan, 66, of Friendly Place, had denied the charges against him.

The operation centred around an alleged brothel in Belfast's Agincourt Avenue.

On Thursday, he was told that he was "free to go" after the judge directed the jury to find him not guilty.

No details surrounding the charge were given during the hearing at Belfast Crown Court.

However, previous hearings in the case were told that he was arrested along with two women during raids by police in Belfast and Antrim in April 2018.

Mr Gillan had denied that "between 1 October, 2017 and 13 April, 2018, he kept or managed or acted in the management of, or assisted in the management of, a brothel''.

Crown barrister Samantha Madden told the court: "I can confirm that the prosecution is offering no evidence against the defendant.''

Addressing the jury of six men and women, Judge Gordon Kerr KC said: "In the circumstances, you will have to return a verdict and I will invite the foreperson to sign a piece of paper that the defendant has been found not guilty by direction.

"I am directing you to find him not guilty by direction as there is no evidence against him.''

More than 200 police officers took part in the searches, supported by the National Crime Agency and HM Revenue and Customs.