QUEENSLAND'S biggest pimp walked free from court yesterday – but he wasn't happy, despite being spared prison.

Father-of-five Benjamin Turner was given an eight-month suspended jail sentence and fined $5000 after admitting to running a prostitution empire that turned over almost $2 million in less than two years.

But his lawyer later flagged a possible appeal, saying the sentence appeared to have been based on "factual inaccuracies".

Turner, 37, was originally charged with 130 prostitution-related offences. But, after negotiations between his legal team and police, the charges were reduced to 14, to which he pleaded guilty.

He was arrested after a three-year investigation by the police Prosecution Enforcement Task Force, which used undercover officers posing as prostitutes and clients to gather evidence.

Southport Magistrate's Court was told Turner ran his prostitution business from Tweed Heads, where he operated under various names including Ben's International Playgirls, Hollywood Honies, Charlie's Angels and Wild Country Gals.

He had more than 230 male and female prostitutes on his books and 59 phones registered to his business.

Up to 10 prostitutes worked for Turner on any one shift, raking in from $280 to $2000 an hour, of which their boss took half.

Police had called for a custodial sentence, saying Turner was "a pimp . . . whose only motivation was to make as much money as possible through the exploitation of others".

He pleaded guilty to the offences two weeks ago but the sentence was adjourned for a psychological report.

Magistrate Gary Finger said yesterday that while the report indicated Turner was remorseful and unlikely to re-offend, he was the "mastermind" of a "highly sophisticated" illegal prostitution operation.

Mr Finger said while the defence disputed Turner's turnover of $1.8 million in 21 months, he had still made "a significant monetary gain" and also had a previous conviction for prostitution