A Hungarian national has appeared in court charged with trafficking young women into the UK to work as prostitutes.

Attila Kolompar, 37, spoke only to confirm his name, age and address at the 15 minute hearing at Brighton Magistrates Court yesterday.

He faces three charges of conspiring with others to traffic girls into the UK, trafficking persons into the UK for sexual exploitation and the control of prostitution for gain.

Martina Sherlock, for the prosecution, told magistrates the charges related to the trafficking of young women from Hungary to the South East of England.

She said Mr Kolompar was accused of accompanying the victims on planes to this country before driving them hotels.

He is also said to have paid for flights, hotels for the girls as well as the prostitution website which they were advertised on.

Mr Kolompar, who gave his address as no fixed abode, was remanded in custody to appear before Lewes Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on April 3.

The charges follow a major investigation into allegations of trafficking women into prostitution in Sussex. The investigation led to the ten-week trial and conviction of five people last year for a total of 23 years.

Mate Puskas, 25, was handed six years, Victoria Brown, 25, was given three and Zoltan Mohacsi, 36, received four years.

Brothers Istvan and Peter Toth, 34 and 28, were given five and four years respectively.

The court heard the sex gang ran a “large scale commercial operation” which made “significant financial gains”.

The prostitutes were advertised online offering what the court heard were “extreme and dangerous” sexual practices.