A ‘RUTHLESS’ Romanian man who ran a brothel in Blackburn will be deported once he has served a prison sentence.

Razvan Ursu, 33, also ran a second brothel in Burnley after skipping police bail following his arrest in connection with a third in Ipswich.

Detectives started tracking Ursu in March 2015 after receiving tip-offs women from Romania were using websites to advertise their services as prostitutes in the Blackburn area, Preston Crown Court heard.

Following extensive work, officers identified links with Suffolk Police relating to an organised crime gang based in Ipswich.

The prosecution said officers from the Suffolk force executed a warrant at a house in 2013, where they found three men, including Ursu, and four Romanian women.

They were quizzed by detectives and bailed, but they then went on the run, the court heard.

In May 2015, the prosecution said a man was seen by officers leaving a house in St Stephen’s Avenue in Blackburn. Following enquiries he was identified as Razvan Ursu.

It was established Ursu was driving women around East Lancashire, collecting and dropping them off at airports and ports. He was also heavily involved in the prostitution of these women, the court heard.

In June 2015, officers raided brothels in Ford Street, Burnley, and St James Road, Blackburn, where Ursu was caught trying to escape with a female Romanian national.

The prosecution said when interviewed by officers, the woman, who later returned to Romania, confirmed Ursu’s role in running brothels in East Lancashire and Suffolk.

Ursu was charged and appeared at Preston Crown Court in March where he pleaded guilty to two offences of controlling brothels in Blackburn and Burnley and conspiracy to controlling a brothel in Ipswich.

The Recorder of Preston, Judge Mark Brown, sentenced him to three years behind bars, including 12 months for controlling brothels and 28 months for the conspiracy. He must also pay a victim surcharge.

Det Sgt Tony Atkins said: “This was a complex and at times, fast-moving case involving the safeguarding of young, vulnerable females from across Europe.

“These women were being trafficked at the hands of ruthless people with no thoughts for their victims and only about the profits that could be made.

“The sentencing follows excellent work by a range of teams and recognises the dedication and resilience of officers at Lancashire Police.

“This type of offending is being actively targeted by the police and other agencies, if members of the public have concerns about addresses or females they believe are being exploited in this way please contact Lancashire police on 101 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers 0800 555 111.”

Shear Brow ward councillor and local magistrate Cllr Suleman Khonat welcomed the sentence.

He said: “It’s disgraceful that anybody should be running brothels. I am glad that after the sentence has been served he will be deported back home. Clearly we have no room in this country for behaviour like this and it will not be tolerated in the community.”