Woman in court for soliciting outside of Holbeck's red light zone

Charlene Jordache, aged 32, appeared at Leeds Magistrate's Court charged with persistently soliciting in a street or public place for the purpose of prostitution.

The offence was said to have taken place at Willoughy Terrace on June 9 this year.

It is a residential street that falls outside of the managed zone that was set up in 2014 in Leeds to give better protection to the city's sex workers.

A charge for the same offence, that is alleged to have taken place on June 3 at Domestic Street, was dropped during the hearing at Leeds Magistrate's Court on Friday morning.

When asked why his client had worked outside of the zone by the presiding magistrate, Laurence Dilworth, mitigating said: "There is no justification. She had a conversation with a man at a supermarket and that man was later seen in a van and she continued the conversation there. She approached the man for business and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity."

The court heard that Jordache, of Bawn Drive, Farnley has learning difficulties and is partially blind following an attack a few years ago but had a strong support network in the community.

Mr Dilworth added: "There has been a social worker involved as well and it is hoped this will open doors to further access support to assist her."

Jordache was fined £155.