COUNCILLOR ‘COVERED IN LIPSTICK’ FOUND IN RAID ON BROTHEL

A COUNCILLOR found in a brothel “covered in lipstick” did NOT bring his office or authority into disrepute, a watchdog has said.

Welsh Labour councillor Brent Carter, who serves Merthyr Tydfil council, was discovered in the knocking shop when police were carrying out a search, a court heard in September.

A hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court was told that a warrant was executed by police on May 8, 2015, at a “nuisance” property in the Dowlais area which had been used as a brothel for about a year.

At the court hearing, Leon Hall, 36, of Llandarcy, Neath, admitted running a brothel and was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for one year, and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

Details of Mr Carter’s visit to the brothel were referred to during the hearing.

The court was told that Mr Carter was in the property at the time the police warrant was executed. He was said to have been “covered in lipstick”.

A formal complaint was made to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales after the court hearing.

Merthyr Tydfil council leader Kevin O’Neill CAUGHT: Brent Carter and brothel street confirmed at the time he had referred the matter to the ombudsman, who has now ruled that he does not consider there is evidence Mr Carter’s office or authority was brought into disrepute.

In May 2015, Merthyr Tydfil council issued a press release confirming that “as a result of nuisance and anti-social behaviour” they had successfully applied to the courts for a closure order in regards to a “suspected brothel”.