THE owner of a North-East sex shop accused of running a brothel has sold his remote eight-bedroomed hall.
John Middleton, who will appear in court next week charged with living off the earnings of prostitution, owns the Pleasure Zone sex shop, in High Northgate, Darlington.
The 59-year-old put Barrenthwaite Hall, near Brough, Cumbria, up for sale for more than £400,000 following his arrest.
The hall has two kitchens, eight bedrooms and a run-down outdoor swimming pool. It is set in one-and-a-half acres of land, complete with a tower attached to the house.
A spokeswoman for Your Move estate agents, in Penrith, confirmed the house had been sold two weeks ago.
Mr Middleton had been renovating parts of his home in the run-up to its sale.
He stands accused of living off immoral earnings with Catherine MacLeod, of Wesley Court, Darlington, who is charged with aiding and abetting him. Charges against his wife, Lesley, were dropped last month.
The accused will appear at South Durham Magistrates' Court, in Darlington, on Tuesday.
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