A detective inspector has told how gardaí found a large number of mobile phones in raids in October 2005 on two Dublin city centre premises linked to a brothel operation.
One of the phones had the number "666" marked above the screen, it was revealed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in the trial of a man accused of running a brothel on Bachelors Walk.
Martin Morgan (44), who denies running the brothel there, was in the apartment when Det Insp Pat Lordon and other gardaí entered with a search warrant on October 10th, 2005.
Mr Morgan, with an address at Blackstock Road, London, has pleaded not guilty to three charges alleging that he organised prostitution, acted or assisted in the management of a brothel and allowed the apartment to be used for prostitution on dates from August 22nd to October 10th, 2005.
Det Insp Lordon told prosecuting counsel Fergal Foley BL that Mr Morgan was sitting in the apartment beside a small table on which were six mobile phones and a large bunch of keys.
He said Mr Morgan's alleged "consort", Deena Edridge, also known as "Chloe Taylor", was sitting at the other side of the table. He arrested Mr Morgan and detained him for questioning. Det Insp Lordon told Mr Foley that one of the keys was to Mr Morgan's Jaguar car. Another key opened the front door to his then Irish residence at Herbert Lane in the Ballsbridge area of Dublin.
Det Insp Lordon said gardaí found €5,000 in €50 notes in a safe in the living room. They also found a copy of an advertisement looking for a receptionist to work in a "busy chat-line agency" clipped to a receipt. He said Ms Edridge's contact details were listed on the advert.
Det Garda Kenneth Donnelly told Mr Foley that more than 30 mobile phones were recovered on the same night in an apartment under surveillance at Malton House in the International Financial Services Centre district.
He said he found the phones after hearing a "buzzing noise" in a kitchen drawer.
Det Garda Donnelly said most were numbered similarly at the front with two glossy, blue digits but one phone had the number "666" marked above the screen.
Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC (with Sean Gillane BL) noted what he called Det Insp Lordon's "impressive" detailing of the operation in his evidence in court.
Det Insp Lordon agreed with Mr O'Higgins that he didn't take notes of his surveillance besides witness statements, CCTV and case exhibit records, but denied he learned his original statement "off by heart".
He agreed with Mr O'Higgins it was important for "the integrity of the evidence" to write a statement independently, without collusion from others. He further agreed he spoke to other members of his surveillance team to check dates and times used as evidence in the case.
The hearing continues before Judge Frank O'Donnell and a jury of eight women and four men.