Landlord jailed after first ‘sex-for-rent’ conviction
A LANDLORD who forced a tenant to wear a bikini at all times has become the first person to be convicted for “sex-forrent” offences in England and Wales.
Christopher Cox, 53, “targeted vulnerable young women” who needed a place to stay, Guildford Crown Court heard. Cox was jailed for 12 months yesterday after previously pleading guilty to a charge of controlling prostitution for gain and two counts of inciting prostitution for gain.
The judge said the offending has now become “colloquially known as sex-forrent” and “this is the first such prosecution that has been brought”.
Cox posted adverts online looking for young or homeless women to stay with him at his then home in Cranleigh, Surrey. His advert was aimed at “a girl in need” and stated: “If you are a young girl 16-plus who is stuck at home and wants to get away or maybe you are homeless seeking a safe route out, I have a room available in my home for a young girl”.
He asked for photos of them and said they should wear bikinis and provide sexual services in exchange for a room.
The charges, between May 2018 and November 2018, relate to three women.
Upon meeting the women who replied to his adverts, Cox soon became aware that they had triggered the interest of two undercover ITV reporters who launched a sting operation.
Even after he was confronted by television cameras, Cox still continued sending out his adverts. The allegations were passed to Surrey Police in 2019 following an investigation by ITV researchers and the force identified a woman who said she entered into a sexfor-rent arrangement with Cox.
Cox was sentenced to six months on each of the two charges of inciting prostitution for gain, which relate to two women between Aug 21 and Sept 6 2018 and Nov 4 and 7, 2018.
He was also jailed for 12 months for controlling prostitution for gain between May 17 and June 27, 2018.
The charge relates to a woman that Cox had sex with, who was described by the prosecution as “unwell and desperate”. She was suicidal, needed a hip replacement and was in pain.
Cox made no response as he stood in the dock and was sentenced.