Waylon Johnston
Magistrate finds no immoral behaviour at lap dancers’ bar
Two owners of a Paceville bar, where lap dancers were performing, have been acquitted of running a brothel and allowing immoral acts to take place after a magistrate ruled there was no evidence to prove the charges.
Duncan Fenech, 36, and Daniel Schembri, 41, were, however, found guilty of employing the lap dancers without the necessary licence at the bar, AO Platinum, five years ago. Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona heard that the police found lap dancing being performed in the club by women of different nationalities, including a Maltese.
The owners were charged with permitting their club to be used for prostitution, operating a brothel, and, as operators of a tourist service, allowing their club to be used for immoral purposes.
The magistrate said there was no evidence to prove the club had been used for prostitution or other immoral acts. Furthermore, it had to be proven that the immoral acts were lewd, he added.
The magistrate said the prosecution had also asked for their licence to be suspended. However, the person to whom the licence belonged did not feature in the proceedings and was not mentioned anywhere, so the request was turned down.
The men were fined €2,500 each.
Lawyers Joseph Giglio and Edward Gatt appeared for the men.
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Joseph Calleja
Feb 1st 2011, 15:51
"and allowing immoral acts to take place after a magistrate ruled there was no evidence to prove the charges." Yesterday I made a comment and tried to explain explicitly what lap dancing really is, especially when a lap dancer is topless. ( The Times decided not to publish my comment, maybe it was too explicit) Yes it is a lewd act but I don't think the courts or judges have any idea what lap dancing really is. I am sure in Malta no judge is going to enter such clubs. But if Maltese citizens think that topless lap dancing is not a lewd act then divorce should clearly be accepted without any opposition. More proof that Paceville club owners rule. More proof that money talks and b..lsh.t walks.
Joe E Galea
Feb 2nd 2011, 07:43
One goes into these clubs to see these things. If they feel that their morality will be corrupted then they should go to a church. This country with all the pseudo immoralities sounds more like an Islamic opressed country. What's wrong having this kind of business, if everythign is in line with the law and the necessary licences are paid? Why can't a man have the pleasure of a lap dancer in a private cubicle? Why all this morality crap? And yes, brothels shold be legalised and screened. And Mr. Muscat has a point in his post, regarding the connection of such services in helping to lessen rapes.
"The owners were charged with permitting their club to be used for prostitution, operating a brothel, and, as operators of a tourist service, allowing their club to be used for immoral purposes."
Come on...as if abroad these things do not exist?...Get Real MALTA!!!
Tony Gatt
Feb 1st 2011, 13:56
I think that what Mr Muscat wants to say is, if food is available one don't need to steal to satisfy his hunger and if you think about the lengths and risks people take for sex he's got a good point.
mariella caruana
Feb 1st 2011, 13:19
mr muscat, what kind of crazy logic is this? Rape has nothing to do with sex. Rape is all about the need of an unbalanced personality to dominate another human being; brothels are all about sexual encounters without intimate relationships and is a service one pays for financially.
Charles Muscat
Feb 2nd 2011, 12:38
Dear Mariella, who would want to have a relationship with a brothel? I have a relationship with my wife and I have never paid her for our relationship. That is called relationship.
Charles Muscat
Feb 1st 2011, 11:35
This is good news. Better have it like so than having multiple rapes on the streets. This is how I see it at least. The more brothels the less chance of street rape, No brothels more chance of street rape.
Which is best?
MBorg
Feb 1st 2011, 13:04
What are you saying ? No one mentioned brothels. The two owners were acquitted of running a brothel. Do you know something the rest of us do not know ?
As for having more brothels to have less street rapes. Have Maltese men turned into such animals that they cannot control themselves ? So much for modern Malta , if this is the case no one can go on calling Malta Iran.