NEWS: Pensioner dies in city brothel

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 14, 2010, Monday

A PENSIONER has died after suffering a heart attack in a Leith massage parlour.

The 79-year-old took ill at Scorpio Leisure, on Albion Road, at around 6pm on Wednesday and was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he later died.

The deceased man has not been named, and staff at the parlour declined to comment.

One eyewitness, who did not wish to be named, said: "I saw the police cars arrive and then the CID go in. There had clearly been a fatality. I watched the CID go in and out with brown paper bags, obviously full of someone's possessions."

He added: "The Scorpio is well-known in the area, and it's not the first time someone hasn't made it out alive."

A 42-year-old taxi driver, a married father-of-one, collapsed and died in similar circumstances in 2001.

Commenting on Wednesday night's incident, a police spokesman said: "Police were called to an address in Albion Road at around 6pm on Wednesday evening after a 79-year-old man suffered a heart attack within the premises.

"He was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he passed away. There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal."

The sauna has been a fixture on Albion Road for many years.

Last year, bosses at Scorpio Leisure contested a ruling by the Inland Revenue that they alone should be taxed on the entry money. A tax tribunal had found that the brothers, as director and secretary of owners Joppa Enterprises Ltd, were liable for costs on the whole fee.

Ian and Charles Haig argued that almost half the cash went back to the girls offering services at the Albion Road parlour, making them liable for any extra VAT costs.

However, Judge Lady Paton rejected their lawyer's argument and ruled that the bosses had only a "private agreement" with each "hostess" to split the money and were therefore solely liable for tax.

The court heard that the sauna had police approval and was licensed by the city council.

Customers were greeted at reception by one of the Haigs and the entry fee was "calculated on a sliding scale" - GBP 20 for 30 minutes, GBP 25 for 45 minutes, and GBP 35 for 60 minutes.