Possible Clues:

• Aggressive pitch
• Difficult trade requiring aggressive promotion
• Insistent marketing's difficult with just a small room, we hear
• Aggressive trading or advertising
• Tough taken to prison, we hear, for remorseless flogging
• Tough sent to prison, say, for serious flogging
• Tough customer
• Corruptly shared pounds in ruthless dealing
• High-pressure spiel
• Serious persuasion that's given to unlucky prisoner, we hear