TWO charges against the owner of a North-East sex shop and massage parlour have been discharged by magistrates.
John Middleton, 60, of North Stainmore, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, was accused of procuring a girl under 21 to have unlawful sex with a third person on March 13.
Mr Middleton, who ran the Pleasure Zone sex shop in North Road, Darlington, was also accused of living off the earnings of prostitution between March 6 and March 13.
When he appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday, magistrates decided to discharge the case for legal reasons following representations by his solicitor, Michael Rayner.
Mr Middleton will stand trial at Teesside Crown Court after November 1 for a separate charge of living off the earnings of prostitution. He has previously pleaded not guilty to the offence.
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