TWO brothers pleaded guilty yesterday to running a North-East brothel where six Thai prostitutes worked.

Daniel Cass, 24, and his brother, Mark, 32, had been due to stand trial for the offences this week but admitted the charges at the last minute.

Teesside Crown Court heard the pair were arrested and charged with running a brothel after police raided 92 Victoria Road, Darlington, on January 18 last year.

The six women found at the property were interviewed by immigration officers at Spennymoor, County Durham, and deported to Thailand days later.

Speaking through an interpreter, the prostitutes - aged between 23 and 36 - revealed that they were illegal immigrants and had no right to remain in the UK.

Ian West, prosecuting, said they admitted coming into the UK using tourist visas, but had entered the country with the intention of working.

The court heard the services at the brothel were advertised in a national newspaper.

Mark Cass, of Corporation Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to people trafficking within the UK for the purposes of prostitution, living off the earnings of prostitution and controlling prostitution for gain.

The trafficking charges relate to five of the working girls. He admitted moving girls around the UK for the purposes of prostitution. The charges date back to February 2002.

He denied conspiracy with others in involvement in international people trafficking between May 2004 and January last year.

On December 21, he had pleaded guilty at the same court to keeping a brothel.

His younger brother, Daniel, of Rothbury Avenue, Stockton, pleaded guilty to keeping a brothel used for prostitution.

He claimed he thought the business was a genuine massage parlour.

The pair were remanded on bail and will be sentenced in the week beginning April 10.

Durham Police are carrying out a proceeds of crime investigation with a view to seizing the brothers' assets.