Leeds Crown Court heard Helen Edwards's career took a bizarre twist in 2002 when the injury meant she had to pack in her job as a senior electronics technician.

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She later opened two massage parlours, one on Christopher Road, Woodhouse, Leeds and one at an address at Grosvenor Street, Wakefield.

Prosecutor Mehran Nassiri said a policeman posing as a punter phoned the Wakefield parlour last April and a woman answered saying the charges were between £30 and £70 for sexual services.

The woman said two girl were working that night and gave the officer their measurements. Later the same day an undercover officer went to the address. Mr Nassiri said: "They asked him to make his mind up what he would like and the policeman made his excuses and left."

When police called at the massage parlour at Christopher Road two women working there, a 25-year-old from Leeds and a 36-year-old from Birmingham, admitted they were working as prostitutes and said their manager was a lady called Julie and gave police her phone number.

Police called the number and a woman answered introducing herself as Helen Edwards, confirming she was the massage parlour manager.

Women at Christopher Road parlour that they had regular sexual health visits from local support workers and had no complaints about working for Edwards.

The court heard Edwards had spent over £27,000 between 2002 and 2007 on local and national newspaper adverts advertising Phoenix Services.

Punters calling were told about the massage parlours in Leeds and Wakefield.

Police found £16,050 in a safe at Edwards home in Clewer Place, Todmorden.

Michael Maher for Edwards said: "Her life took a bizarre turn in 2002 when she lost her job with an electronics firm in Lincolnshire."

Mr Maher added: "She feels wretched from the situation she finds herself in for what some might consider disgusting crimes.

"She said her daughter didn't feel that way. Other members of her family had abandoned her completely."

Judge Ian Dobkin sentenced Edwards to a 12 month community order and ordered her to do 150 hours unpaid community work. He said: "I see no purpose whatsoever in sending you to prison today."

The court heard confiscation proceedings will follow.

Edwards had pleaded guilty to two charges of managing a brothel and one of concealing criminal property.