After police raids in Paceville and Qawra - 37 foreign women, nine Maltese charged with running a brothel

Thirty-eight women - a Maltese, 28-year-old Sabrina Bonett of Sliema, and 22 Romanians, four Czechs, six Hungarians, two Slovaks, a Pole, an Estonian, and a Moroccan - aged 19 to 31, were yesterday evening charged before duty Magistrate Denis Montebello and accused of carrying out immoral acts in public places after police raids in Paceville and Qawra.

The police swoop started yesterday at 1.15 a.m. and ended at 3 a.m.

The women were charged with managing or sharing in the management of a brothel, committing an offence against decency or morals, and exposing themselves naked or indecently dressed in public.

Eight Maltese club owners were separately charged with engaging the foreigners without a work permit and with keeping a brothel and allowing their establishment to be used for prostitution and immoral purposes.

The club owners are John Bartolo, 49, of Mosta, Carmel Bonett, 32, of St Paul's Bay, Paul James Degiorgio, 37, of Lija, Vincent Micallef, 31, of Sliema, Ray Micallef, 47, of Pembroke, Joseph A. Gatt Rutter, 60, of Sliema, Donald Camilleri, 28, of Qawra, and Stephen Cianco, 38, of St Julian's.

A 23-year-old Serb was also charged with acting as a bouncer without a licence.

All the accused pleaded guilty.

The Maltese were given bail on a deposit of Lm250 and a personal deposit of Lm250 each. All foreigners were given bail of Lm100 each.

Inspectors Paul Vassallo, Louise Calleja and Therese Azzopardi prosecuted.

Defence counsel included Drs Franco Debono, Edward Gatt, Richard Sladden, Joseph Giglio and Josè Herrera.

Natalino Fenech

Some of the 49 accused entering the law courts yesterday evening. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi.