A brothel keeper who rented apartments in Galway, Dublin, Cork, and Limerick, and operated 61 websites advertising prostitution has been given a five-year sentence.
Aidan Dorney (39 ), who gardai described as “not financially savvy”, spent the income from the badly run business on alcohol, gambling, prostitutes, and renting further apartments.
Dorney, of Chelmsford Road, Ranelagh, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to managing brothels at Salthill, Galway; Camden Court, Cork; and Mount Kennett Park, Limerick on dates between April 12 and 21, 2009.
He also pleaded guilty to permitting premises to be used as brothels at The Oaks, Herbert Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin between January 11 and 27, 2007 and Seaview Court, Galway on May 24, 2007.
Dorney further pleaded guilty to acting or assisting in the management of brothels at The Sweepstakes, Ballsbridge; Exchange Street Lower; and Castle Street in Dublin on dates between 2006 and 2007.
He also admitted a charge of publishing or causing to be published an advertisement which gave rise to the reasonable inference that the premises was a brothel or that the service was one of prostitution.
Judge Katherine Delahunt noted garda evidence that if it were not for his lack of business acumen Dorney could have been “at the top of the ladder”. “If you had been any way clever in maintaining your funds you would have been a significant player,” she said.
She noted he had a good education and a solid upbringing but had been funding his addictions out of this business. She noted that after he had been arrested for the Dublin offences he then re-engaged in further offences around the country.
Judge Delahunt imposed consecutive sentences totaling five years with the final 18 months suspended. She imposed a €1,000 fine for the advertising offence and ordered that €5,000 from the sale of Dorney’s family home be paid over to the charity Ruhama within one year.
