AN OXFORD man who 'facilitated prostitution' has been order to pay back hundreds of thousands of pounds. 

Peter Hicks, 52, of Hendred Street, Oxford placed adverts for ‘hot sexy ladies ready to party’, ’Dave’s tantric massage’ and ‘fantasies where dreams come true’ in local newspapers.

A diary was also found which detailed the names and addresses of appointments with escorts and payments received.

These corresponded exactly with credit paid into Hicks’ bank account and no credible information was given for the transactions.

At a hearing on September, 12, 2017 at Oxford Crown Court Hicks pleaded guilty to offences including: 

  • Acquired, used or had possession of criminal property, namely the financial proceeds of prostitution.
  • Intentionally caused or incited others to become prostitutes for gain, contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment at the same court on March, 2, 2018.

At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, June, 29 he was ordered to pay back £178,417.78 as part of a confiscation order.

Hicks has a year to pay the money or will face an additional prison sentence of 15 months.

Detective Inspector Duncan Wynn, head of Thames Valley Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “We aim to make the Thames Valley an area where serious and organised criminals are unable to conduct their business or benefit from their crimes due to our strong partnerships and the effective application of all our Proceeds of Crime Act policing powers.

“We will seize, forfeit and confiscate criminal finance in order to protect the communities of the Thames Valley from serious and organised crime and to increase community resilience.”