Fourth arraignment in prostitution investigation

The four Chinese women who were yesterday arraigned in court and accused of running a brothel in Balzan were investigated following a search at the Honey Girl parlour in Balzan sparked by a separate investigation. Police officers told a Court this morning that a search warrant was issued during investigations involving a 53-year-old man from Tarxien who, in a separate case this morning, pleaded not guilty to running a brothel. The man, who cannot be named by court order, was also charged with making a living off the earnings of the prostitution of third parties and of using the Honey Girl premises in breach of licence conditions. Lawyers Andy Ellul and Vince Micallef requested bail and said that when the raid was made their client was not at the premises and he had not been there for the previous three days. Police Inspector Louise Calleja said that if bail was granted, the man should be banned from going to the shop, which the police had now been monitoring for quite a while and which they were requesting should be closed down. Magistrate Gabriella Vella, granted the man bail against a deposit of €1,000 and personal guarantee of €5,000. She also placed him on a curfew.