MORE former escort girls have taken to the witness box to deny having had sex with men they were introduced to by an alleged Southamp-ton madam.

The women were giving evidence in the trial of Sharon Moir, who is accused of running a string of brothels across the city.

Southampton Crown Court also heard from Moir's 27-year-old son, who said that he had lived at her Sholing home while she ran the business and saw no signs of prostitution taking place.

Jonathon Helmore said that he was living at the address in Sholing Road during 2004 and was asked by defence barrister Francis Sheridan if he had ever seen the house being run as a brothel.

He replied: "No, certainly not."

Prosecutor Stephen Parish then asked him how often he would be in the house, to which he said: "quite a lot".

Mr Parish added: "And you were never aware of any sort of sexual activity taking place in the house?"

To which he replied: "No."

The court then heard from a woman employed by Sharon Moir's Panache Escort Agency who said that she was only ever taken on dinner dates or trips to the cinema with her clients.

The girl said: "It was £150 an hour and the clients paid for my time."

Asked what she talked to them about, she said: "My hobbies, my hopes and aspirations. Everything when you get on well with someone."

She also admitted that on occasions men had asked her for sex, but said she had replied: "Sorry, that's not what I'm here for."

Another witness, self-employed builder Anthony Jarman, said that he had used the escort agency after his relationship with his girlfriend broke down and he desperately needed a partner to take to a business meeting.

He said that he had used the same girl two or three times, but that he had never asked for sex in return and she had never offered it.

Moir, 47, of Sholing Road, Southampton, denies four counts of keeping a brothel, one count of inciting prostitution for personal gain and three counts of controlling prostitution for personal gain.

Jurors were expected to retire to consider their verdict later today.

Proceeding.