THE order to seize less than £13,000 of brothel-keepers Ian and Jill Lydon’s assets when they made more than £770,000 does not reflect well on the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Little was said in court yesterday as the Crown Prosecution Service and police applied to try to seize the ill-gotten gains the Lydons made from the brothel in All Saints Road, Headington, Oxford.

Discussions between the prosecution and defence had already taken place before the hearing and it was agreed that there was only £12,984.15 that was realisable in assets to seize — out of a turnover of £770,000.

When the Proceeds of Crime Act was brought in, it was promised that police would be armed with new powers to hunt down all the money and assets salted away through criminal acts and seized.

Police, to be commended for shutting it down, refused to talk about the money yesterday, but let’s analyse the figures: yesterday’s seizure equated to less than FOUR days’ operation.

If that is truly all that was left in assets, then it is surprising it was able to stay in business so long.

Yesterday’s seizure hardly represents a deterrent to others.