Landlord in UK jailed for ‘sex for rent’ offences

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A landlord who forced a homeless woman to sleep with him in exchange for a room has been sentenced to prison for’sex for rent’ offenses in England and Wales.

In 2018, Christopher Cox, 53, sought out vulnerable young ladies to live with him in Cranleigh, Surrey.

In exchange for housing rent, he allegedly urged women to wear bikinis around the house, participate in BDSM, and sleep in his bed.

His went online to a rental agency’s website and posted an ad geared to ‘a girl in need,’ asking ‘if you are a young lady 16 and above who is stuck at home and wants to go out, or maybe you are homeless wanting a safe route,’

In the advert he said in return for a place to stay, they were expected to ‘cook, clean, do laundry and possibly more’.

Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday, May 10 heard one of his victims was a homeless woman, who was ‘unwell, desperate, suicidal, needed hip replacement surgery and was in pain.’

In a message to his friends, the prosecutor said Cox described his behaviour as his ‘dirty secret’.

Cops got to know about his behavior after two female undercover reporters from ITV’s The Kyle Files responded to online ads for ‘a girl in need’ in August 2018.

Even after he was confronted by TV cameras, he continued sending out his adverts.

At the time, Cox allegedly told friends: ‘I got myself into a bit of hot water due to my sex-for-rent tenants.’

Surrey Police searched his phone and found evidence of a homeless woman agreeing to an arrangement out of ‘desperation’.

Rupert Hallowes, defending, said his client, who was previously convicted of sexually abusing a young boy in the 1980s, thought his actions were ‘only illegal if he wanted sex three times a week’.

Judge Robert Fraser told Cox his behaviour was a ‘cynical attempt to take advantage of people by ‘very deliberately targeting homeless women who were vulnerable’.

The judge said the crime has now become ‘colloquially known as sex-for-rent’ and ‘this is the first such prosecution that has been brought’.

‘It is remarkable and says something about your determination to continue that you posted further advertisements,’ the judge told Cox.

‘It perhaps says something about the strength of your sexual intention.’

Cox, has been sentenced to one year in prison after he admitted to inciting and controlling prostitution.

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