FOUR members of a gang accused of running brothels in Suffolk and Essex will be sentenced next month after being convicted by a jury.

Alexsander Sochacki, 41, of The Admirals, Harwich; Eliza Bryll, 23, of Wells Crescent, Chelmsford; Jagoda Kukielka, 25, of Notley Road, Braintree; and Magdalene Pacula, 22, of Stroud had all denied conspiring together and with others to manage or assist in the management of brothels between November 2008 and July 2010 but were found guilty after a month-long trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

A fifth defendant Anna Joskowska, 24, of Dumbarton Road, Ipswich, who had denied the same charge, had the case against her thrown out halfway through the trial after Judge Goodin ruled there was insufficient evidence against her.

During the trial, the court heard that police officers launched a surveillance operation after receiving complaints about different women moving into premises in Ipswich every few weeks and a steady stream of male visitors visiting the properties.

Police looking for a missing Polish woman went to a flat in Firmin Close, Ipswich, and found three women on the premises, including one dressed in just her underwear who had been having sex with a naked man in one of the bedrooms, said Charles Myatt, prosecuting.

On another occasion an investigator from the Department of Work and Pensions rang a number in an advert for adult services and was directed to the flat in Firmin Close.

He went to the premises with two police officers and the door was opened by a woman in her underwear. Inside they found another woman wearing just her underwear and in the bedrooms discovered condoms and tissues.

Police were alerted to an alleged brothel in Gladstone Road, Ipswich, after a retired man who had lived in the road for 30 years noticed that groups of women with baggage were arriving at premises in the road every six weeks.

When officers raided a property in George Williams Close, Colchester, the door was opened by a scantily-dressed woman and in one of the bedrooms police found a man who admitted paying for sex.

In a communal living room police found �60 on a table which according to a price list was the going rate for 30 minutes of sexual services, said Mr Myatt.

He alleged police found evidence that further brothels were being run at premises in Foxhall Road and London Road, in Ipswich.

The defendants chose not to give evidence during the trial.

Judge David Goodin adjourned sentencing until August 29 for pre-sentence reports to be prepared on the defendants.