Monday, 11th August 2008

Alleged pimp 'has strong hold over minor'

A 22-year-old was yesterday denied bail because of the psychological control he is believed to have over his teenage girlfriend, a minor whom he is charged with forcing into prostitution.

Inspector Melvyn Camilleri told the court that Jonathan Sciberras, of Floriana, had a strong hold over the girl: He not only had sex with her but made her have sex for money with clients.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani accepted the prosecution's argument and denied him bail.

Mr Sciberras was also charged with falsifying identification and driving an unlicensed car.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Christopher Agius Ferrante (on 11/8/08)

I could not agree more with CJ Allen. If the girl has been forced then she is indeed a sex slave. We need to wake up (and by we, i mean the whole world) and denounce this abhorrent crime. In the process however we should not tarnish the victims of these crimes (as they are indeed victims) with labels and stigma they do not deserve.

I read yesterday that after drug and gun trafficking, the trafficking of women and children (the vast majority of whom are sold into sex slavery, is the largest grossing organised crime activity there is.

We should do all we can to put an end to it.

C J Allen (on 11/8/08)

By definition one cannot be forced into prostitution. This girl did not sell her body, Sciberras did (allegedly). She is not a prostitute, she is a sex-slave, and it's about time that laws were changed to reflect this. I assume that the punishment for slavery would be much greater than for pimping!