Beach Road hotel staffer to be charged for living on commission from prostitutes in the rooms

A 36-year-old female hotel employee will be charged in court on Dec 18 for living on prostitution earnings of other people.

On the same day, the 51-year-old male hotel keeper will also be charged for employing someone who permitted prostitutes to occupy rooms in the hotel.

This comes after officers from the Central Police Division conducted an enforcement operation at the Beach Road hotel on April 25 and 26, and arrested eight vice workers for allegedly using remote communication service to offer sexual services.

Investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department revealed that the 36-year-old hotel employee had allegedly facilitated the provision of sexual services by the vice workers at the hotel and earned commission that was deducted from the prostitution earnings.

Under the Women’s Charter 1961, any person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of a woman or girl shall be punished on conviction with imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000.

Where the person is a repeat offender, he shall be liable on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding $150,000.

The 51-year-old man who managed the hotel is liable for employing the woman.

Under the Hotels Licensing Regulations, any licensee who permits any person whom he knows or has reason to believe is a prostitute, catamite or bad character to occupy a room in the hotel or to frequent the premises, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000, and for a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.

Whenever any person licensed under the Hotels Act 1954 would be liable under the provisions of that Act or of any regulations made thereunder to any pecuniary penalty or forfeiture for any act, omission, neglect or default, he shall be liable to the same pecuniary penalty or forfeiture for every similar act, omission, neglect or default of any agent or servant employed by him in the course of his business as such licensed person.