LEE LAMBERT OF KIRKBY JAILED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING OF 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND RUNNING SHAM MODEL AGENCY IN LIVERPOOL

In March 2014, Lee Lambert, a 26-year-old from Kirkby, was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of controlling prostitution for gain and maintaining a brothel accessed through Facebook. Lambert had orchestrated a sex business from his flat in Kirkby, where he advertised sex with a 15-year-old girl—who was placed in a children’s home—by creating online profiles and promoting his services on Facebook and adult websites.

A jury took just ten minutes to find Lambert guilty of these charges. Judge Thomas Teague QC commented that Lambert represented “an ongoing threat to the welfare of young people through his repeated involvement in what is euphemistically referred to as the sex trade.” During the court appearance, Lambert was seen wearing large sunglasses and had a nasal feeding tube for medical reasons.

Lambert created online profiles for the girl, whom he falsely claimed was 18, and posted provocative photos to lure clients to his operation, which he named “Swinger Escorts.” The trial revealed he detailed the extreme sexual acts she was allegedly willing to perform, with prices ranging from £18 to £168. Lambert, residing in Denvers Park, Kirkby, received a small portion of the profits, allowing the girl to keep most of the earnings.

This was not Lambert’s first conviction; in 2010, he was jailed for tricking young girls into sending sexually explicit pictures via a fake “model agency” called LML Modelling, which promised earnings of up to £40,000 annually. Judge Teague emphasized, “This is the second time in four years that you have exploited girls in the sex industry. You may not have realized the girl was only 15, but your culpability remains high.”

The court was told Lambert sent texts discussing his business, including one where he claimed “Pimping ain’t easy,” and he advertised for new girls with flyers seeking “Escorts wanted – £500 a week.” Evidence also indicated Lambert exploited another young woman, whom he groomed, leading her to believe that he cared for her and had her best interests at heart. Judge Teague noted, “While there was no physical coercion, you manipulated her emotionally and corrupted her.”

Jurors heard that Lambert filmed a pornographic movie involving a client. When questioned, Lambert claimed that a “legal loophole” exempted him from being classified as a pimp, asserting he was a pornographer instead. Additionally, Lambert was handed an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order, restricting his internet access and contact with minors.

Earlier, in October 2010, Lambert—a conman then 23—ran a sham modelling agency to lure underage girls into sending indecent images. Operating from his bedroom in Kirkby, he promised potential models earnings up to £40,000 a year. Judge Mark Chambers QC described the agency, LML Modelling, as “a sham,” and sentenced Lambert to two years’ imprisonment.

The court found that Lambert deliberately posted advertisements on sites like LimeWire and BearShare targeting underage girls. On August 31, 2007, a 14-year-old girl was encouraged to send “sexy, glam” images and told to sign a waiver claiming she was 18, with promises of professional photoshoots in Liverpool. Instead of complying, she documented their conversations and cooperated with the police, leading to Lambert’s arrest on October 25, 2007.

Police investigations uncovered obscene videos on Lambert’s computers, including a 21-minute clip of a young woman being tied up and raped, rated in the most severe category. An analysis revealed thousands of search terms related to child exploitation, with “Lolita” entered 3,336 times and “pre-teen” 2,835 times. During his September trial, Lambert falsely claimed his business was worth up to £1 million, had won awards, and that he had worked for New York Fashion Week. He also alleged he had represented famous glamour models and a Playboy model.

Lambert, from Guilsted Road, Norris Green, told jurors that his girlfriend Jacqueline Brady, mother of his child, falsely claimed responsibility for the online chats with minors. He argued she sought to entrap him because she suffered from borderline personality disorder and kept profiles of underage girls to get him out of the modelling industry. The jury, however, rejected his claims, convicting him of one count of inciting child pornography and three counts of making indecent images. Lambert maintained his innocence, with his defense asserting that “he still says the website was set up for legitimate reasons and the indecent images were not of his making.”