I don’t personally know of anyone being arrested in this scenario, but I would advise finding a lawyer in your area, someone experienced in ‘sexual offences’ (google is your friend). A professional photographer friend of mine got questioned at police station because a model he had shot turned out to be under 18 (she produced him a fake ID) so we had to find him a lawyer and through google we found him a really good one in his area (my friends charges eventually got dismissed thanks to said lawyer). So yes, find one and ask him this same question you asked here and keep his number in case you find yourself sitting in a cold cell (I believe this would be a really worst scenario but you never know).

If the shared place you are paying the owner (if they know what you are doing) or you pay another sex worker to work there i would have thought she would be in more trouble as she is the one taking the money.
If you was renting it with a friend and both on tenancy then both of you legally responsible from what i have read.

Either way if police visit you and want to know your name you probably shpuld give it to them as they probably want to check to see you do not have any warrants out for you and you are legally here. If you avoid doing this a trip to the police station probably.

Yes, thanks everyone. I am just thinking of the worst case scenario as it would bother me if I were arrested and had this on my file. I think I'll contact an organisation and see what they say. I know the police have this newer sympathetic approach to sex workers nowadays but, anyway it's illegal isn't it so I might have to think of another way to work. .

I believe police have way more important priorities than "two girls working from a flat on alternative days", the only way you will get them interested in you ladies is if neighbours notice a traffic of men to an apartment with two attractive women, someone will eventually complaint (unfortunately if happens), then do expect a knock on the door from them. If you and your friend keep it "low key", the setting allows a discreet entrance another's no CCTV you shouldn't have any problems. All depends on the setting and how low key you are.

I've just realised that even if a property is used by more than one SW on different days (at the same place) it's classed as a brothel. What's the best thing to do if the police came around and arrested the SW? Do you have to give your legal name before you've spoken to a solicitor? And if you didn't want to use the on-duty solicitor, does anyone know if there are solicitors who are clued up on this? Sorry if this sounds naive - I'm sure I must have known this was the case, but I'd forgotten and as I've started to work from shared places, I need to know what to do if it happened. Thanks. 

no comment interview
no personal details on arrest.
make your phone call to ECP or Release.
Ask ECP or Release now if they have any recommended firms and use them and not the duty solicitor
refuse to accept a caution

no comment interview
no personal details on arrest.
make your phone call to ECP or Release.
Ask ECP or Release now if they have any recommended firms and use them and not the duty solicitor
refuse to accept a caution

I'd not actually heard of Release so thanks, I'll contact them or the ECP. .

It is best to be prepared before you ever need the police - think about what name, address and phone no you will give them.

If you work alone, it is more likely you will call the police due to threats -myself and friends have called the police a few times, and all has gone well.

In any situation - don't admit anything. but if you work in a shared flat or brothel as far as I know, it is NOT a crime to be a sex worker in the brothel, the people who actually get prosecuted in reality are:  any one who is involved in "running it"
which in real terms is: so the person who takes bookings, if you answer the phone and book appointments for other people, the cleaner, the "maids". the person who collects the money from all the girls and hands it over to any one else (eg to pay the electric bill), so don't admit to any kind of admin task, don't name someone else as doing admin.

JUST KEEP QUIET.
SAY NOTHING.

here's the legal position for being arrested:
https://hnksolicitors.com/news/do-you-have-to-tell-police-your-name/

If you are arrested, you do not need to give your details to the police, either in public or at the station. This can delay your release; however, the police can only legally hold you for 24 hours unless further time has been authorised by either an officer at least the rank as a superintendent or a Magistrate/Justice of the Peace.  After which you must be either charged or released, regardless of them gaining your details. Further details on police detention are highlighted in our previous blog about how long can police hold you in custody.

If you do decide to give your details, you only need to give your name, address and date of birth. But you are only legally obliged to give these details if and when you appear in court.


Give your working girl name:

no comment interview
no personal details on arrest.
make your phone call to ECP or Release.
Ask ECP or Release now if they have any recommended firms and use them and not the duty solicitor
refuse to accept a caution

Yea no comment, seek appropriate legal advice. In my years of working the biz I've only known one situation like this to draw police attention, (unlike more full-on brothels  which can get more police attention), where a woman was renting her spare room by the day to friends. That was really only because she got into a big argument about bins & car parking spaces with the neighbour so he reacted by calling the police about the sex work. I'm surprised he took as long as he did to do it, but with criminal activity a lot of people prefer to mind their own business I find, in good ways and bad.

 Luckily the woman at the flat that day knew she did not have to let the police in unless they have a warrant (if they do they can just let themselves in anyway) so she just waited for them to leave which did not take long. It took them a week to get said warrant and by then they cleared out the space of incriminating stuff. The police clearly weren't all that interested but they have to investigate at least to a basic degree.

 Most of these kinds of small scale and/or co-op type operations fly under the radar if everyone is really discreet and sensible. But for this and other reasons I prefer to avoid sharing, because you can't control the behaviour of other people.