When she was 16, in 1945, Claire became a prostitute in London, entertaining up to 30 clients a night. Her ponce enforced a "ten-minute rule" and she was capable of earning £50 a night, though she saw only £ 1 of that. Her ultimate boss was Maltese.
In the person of such vice barons as the Messina brothers and Joe Spiteri , Malta and the Mediterranean ruled London prostitution for two decades following the Second World War. Pornographers also thrived, largely by payingfor "licences" from corrupt policemen. Former detective Anthony Kilkerr , who was co-opted to the Obscene
Publications Squad, claims that corruption went to the top, and that some policemen "believed they could walk on water".
The fourth programme in the series, Vice, examines the post-war basis of London's sex industry. Director/Series producer Lorraine Heggessey