A HUSBAND and wife allegedly ran two brothels in York city-centre until a landlady and local residents called in the police, the city's crown court heard.

Undercover police officers posed as clients of one alleged brothel in Kyme Street, a quiet terraced street in Bishophill, where women of Asian or Oriental appearance offered them sex for £60 before the men "made their excuses and left", said Peter Hampton, prosecuting.

They were responding to complaints from residents in summer 2013 about the number of men visiting a flat rented by Khemthong and Brian Reynolds and the number of towels put out on drying lines.

A police raid allegedly found sex aids at the property and Khemthong Reynold's sister, Nichanana Parton, 37, who gave them a false name.

Earlier, the owner of a flat in Emperor's Wharf had contacted police about her suspicions about how it was being used after the same couple rented it in January 2013.

When visiting it to sort out a problem with its hot water, the landlady had allegedly heard a man turned away when he arrived at the communal entrance, and had allegedly seen that an extra double bed had been moved in and signs that the flat was being used to house a business.

The prosecution claims she found a woman wearing nothing but a dressing gown in one of the two bedrooms.

Khemthong Reynolds, 39, described by the barrister as "chief executive officer" for the brothels and Brian Reynolds, 53, described as the "chief financial officer" both of Gainsborough Road, Richmond, Surrey, deny running a brothel in Kyme Street, as do Parton, 37, of Swindon and Richmond, and Sarinya Bunsanong, 42, of Welland Road, Hilton, Derby, described as "middle managers".

Khemthong and Brian Reynolds also deny running a brothel in Emperor's Wharf, and together with Parton deny two charges relating to £8,505 the prosecution claim were takings from the brothels. Parton has admitted perverting the course of justice by giving a false name.

The trial continues.