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March 4, 2013
Islington, Operation Circus
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Social worker in vice racket jailed (16.5.86)

The Times (London), 16th May 1986

Times160586

A judge said yesterday that the “evil trade” in young male prostitution centred at Piccadilly Circus in London had to be stopped.

Judge Hazan QC, said at the Central Criminal Court “It should be obvious to everybody that no civilized society can accept such a situation”.

The judge spoke out when he jailed Abraham Jacob, aged 45, a social worker for Islington council for four years for helping to organize a vice ring using boys and youths.

Jacob of Holland Walk, Holloway, a former schoolmaster and trainee priest, was convicted of living off immoral earnings of male prostitutes known as “rent boys”.

The court was told that Jacob, whose social work was with the elderly, was among 40 men arrested in a police operation codenamed Circus which lasted five months and involved 100 officers. More than 250 young people were interviewed in connection with the vice racket.

Jacob was seen to take money from rent boys and their clients. He made “introductions” and was photographed by police officers who saw him collect up to £40 a night.

Passing sentence, Judge Hazan said Jacob and several other men previously jailed acted as “ponces” and helped to advertise Piccadilly Circus as a “pick-up point”.

The judge described Jacob as a menace and said he had helped in the “degradation and dehumanization” of young people from broken homes.