"Online prostitution ring" under probe

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Posted in wrong thread.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

SAF officer accused of engaging underage prostitute claims trial

By Leong Wai Kit
POSTED: 17 Apr 2013 4:26 PM

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Lieutenant Colonel accused of having paid sex with an underage prostitute in 2011 has claimed trial.

Emlyn Thomas Thariyan (R) with his defence lawyer. (Photo/Leong Wai Kit)

SINGAPORE: A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Lieutenant Colonel accused of having paid sex with an underage prostitute in 2011 has claimed trial.

Emlyn Thomas Thariyan, 37, is one of 51 men to be charged with having commercial sex with the minor. He is the third man to contest the charges, following Swiss national Juerg Buergin and business consultant Edward Whistler Goh.

District Judge Eugene Teo ordered that part of the trial on Wednesday be held in camera or in chambers.

This follows the prosecution's application that the girl, a vulnerable witness, should give evidence in closed court.

They said that online forums have published information pertaining to her identity despite gag orders issued by the court.

They argued that she is "susceptible to emotional injury", adding that she is a victim of a sexual crime.

The prosecution pointed out while it was a fact that the girl was a "social escort", she was only 17 at the time of the events.

Thariyan's defence lawyer however strongly objected to the in camera application, arguing that under the Women's Charter, this applies to those under 16.

The girl is now 20.

However the judge, who has discretion in granting such applications, agreed with the prosecution.

The court on Tuesday heard evidence from witnesses including representatives from SingTel, Hotel 81, as well as an officer from the Technology Crime Forensic Branch.

The trial continues.

- CNA/jc

 

[SHA0KAHN]

Double post..

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Online vice ring: SAF Lieutenant Colonel on trial for sex with underage prostitute

Published on Apr 17, 2013

A Lieutenant Colonel in the Singapore Armed Forces is on trial for having sex with an underage prostitute. Armour officer Emlyn Thomas Thariyan, 37, is accused of paying for the sexual services of the 17-year-old on Feb 18, 2011, for $500 at Hotel 81 Bencoolen. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Khushwant Singh

A Lieutenant Colonel in the Singapore Armed Forces is on trial for having sex with an underage prostitute. Armour officer Emlyn Thomas Thariyan, 37, is accused of paying for the sexual services of the 17-year-old on Feb 18, 2011, for $500 at Hotel 81 Bencoolen.

The teen, who cannot be named, is said to have had paid sex with 51 men. She testified on Wednesday behind closed doors. On Tuesday - the first day of trial - Deputy Superintendent Connie Seek, a forensic analyst with the Criminal Investigation Department, testified on the text messages exchanged between Thariyan and the victim and her pimp Tang Boon Thiew.

A representative of the hotel also testified to the authenticity of the room registration card that was signed by Thariyan. Thariyan is not disputing that he had booked the teen via text messages and rented the hotel room but denies having sex with her in the hour they were together.

Thariyan, who is single, is the third accused person to stand trial after former Swiss banker Juerg Buergin, 41, and business consultant Edward Whistler Goh Ngian Meng, 50. None of the trials have concluded. Eighteen men have since been convicted and jailed for between eight and 16 weeks for having sex with the same underage prostitute.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

SAF officer's trial in online vice ring case to continue at later date

By Leong Wai Kit
POSTED: 18 Apr 2013 3:44 PM

The case of the third man claiming trial in the online sex vice ring will continue at a later date. This comes after a pre-trial conference was called on Thursday for lawyers involved in 37-year-old Emlyn Thomas Thariyan's trial to decide on administrative matters.

Emlyn Thomas Thariyan (R) with his defence lawyer. (Photo/Leong Wai Kit)

SINGAPORE: The case of the third man claiming trial in the online sex vice ring will continue at a later date.

This comes after a pre-trial conference was called on Thursday for lawyers involved in 37-year-old Emlyn Thomas Thariyan's trial to decide on administrative matters.

This includes coming up with a list of witnesses for the trial.

The Singapore Armed Forces Lieutenant Colonel is accused of having paid sex with an underage girl in 2011.

A large part of the trial on Wednesday was heard in-camera or in closed chambers.

This was after the court granted the prosecution's request to protect the woman's identity.

Earlier on Thursday, Thariyan's lawyer, S Skandarajah, asked the court to allow Thariyan's brother and bailor to sit in during the in-camera hearings.

Mr Skandarajah cited that the two were "concerned parties" in the case.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Kavitha Uthrapathy objected to the application, saying that was not a valid reason.

The court did not grant Mr Skanarajah's application.

The trial dates will be finalised after the pre-trial conference.

- CNA/xq

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Online vice ring: Third man on trial says mobile phone holds crucial evidence

Published on Apr 18, 2013

Emlyn Thomas Thariyan, the third man to go on trial for having sex with an underage prostitute, has applied to introduce his mobile phone in court as evidence. This is because it contains text messages "crucial" to the defence's case, said lawyer S. Skandarajah. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Ian Poh

The third man to go on trial for having sex with an underage prostitute has applied to introduce his mobile phone in court as evidence. This is because it contains text messages "crucial" to the defence's case, said lawyer S. Skandarajah.

It is understood that Mr Skandarajah wants to show that his client Emlyn Thomas Thariyan, 37, "carried on" a relationship with the minor after Thariyan allegedly bought her services for $500 on Feb 18, 2011 and had sex with her at a hotel in Bencoolen Street. If the phone is admitted, references to messages contained within can then be referred to during the trial.

Speaking through Mr Skandarajah, Thariyan on Thursday told the court this was necessary because the minor, who cannot be named, denied this while giving evidence in camera behind closed doors on Wednesday.

District Judge Eugene Teo on Thursday adjourned the trial, which will continue after a pre-trial conference to be held next Tuesday. The trial dates will be redetermined then.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Swiss national found guilty of paid sex with minor

By Claire Huang
POSTED: 30 Apr 2013 4:27 PM

The Swiss national accused of engaging in commercial sex with a minor has been found guilty.

SINGAPORE: The Swiss national accused of engaging in commercial sex with a minor was found guilty on Tuesday.

Juerg Buergin, 41, is one of 51 men charged with having paid sex with a girl under 18 years of age.

The former UBS executive faced two counts of having paid sex with an underage girl - once in September 2010 and another in January 2011.

The Swiss national is the 19th man to be convicted in the online vice ring case.

Sentencing will take place on 8 May.

- CNA/jc

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Online vice ring: Judge says underage girl was a forthright and convincing witness

Published on Apr 30, 2013

Former Swiss banker Juerg Buergin, 41, was on Tuesday, April 30, 2013, found guilty of having paid sex with an underage prostitute. In his oral judgment, District Judge Eddy Tham said that the defence failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the two occasions of sexual intercourse, on Sept 29, 2010, and Jan 3, 2011, did not take place. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Elena Chong And Walter Sim

Former Swiss banker Juerg Buergin, 41, was on Tuesday found guilty of having paid sex with an underage prostitute.

In his oral judgment District Judge Eddy Tham found that Buergin had failed to raise a reasonable doubt as to whether sexual intercourse had taken place between him and the escort on Sept 29, 2010 and Jan 3, 2011.

In contrast, the girl - who cannot be named as she was a minor at the time - was a "forthright" and "convincing" witness who "did not have anything to hide or reason to embellish her evidence" against Buergin.

He found that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt all the essential ingredients against Buergin.

He will pass sentence on May 8. The maximum penalty for each charge is seven years' jail and a fine.

 

[lianbeng]

Online vice ring: Judge says underage girl was a forthright and convincing witness

Published on Apr 30, 2013

lianbeng agrees with that ahlian: she sells he buys money paid liao transaction done liao u die ur problem lah!

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Man in online vice ring case fails to prove statement made under threat

By Alvina Soh
POSTED: 06 May 2013 7:26 PM

The second man claiming trial in the online vice ring case has failed to prove that his police statement was made under threat and inducement. Business consultant Edward Whistler Goh faces two charges of having paid sex with a minor in 2010.

SINGAPORE: The second man claiming trial in the online vice ring case has failed to prove that his police statement was made under threat and inducement.

Fifty-year-old business consultant, Edward Whistler Goh, faces two charges of having paid sex with a minor in 2010 on September 29 and October 24.

Goh had earlier claimed that his recording officer threatened to charge him with various offences if he did not cooperate with investigations.

Last April, Goh told the court that he signed the police statement despite claiming there were untruths, as he was anxious to get out of the police station.

But at the end of the "trial-within-a-trial" on Monday, a district judge said that Goh's defence did not raise reasonable doubt and Goh's statement was made voluntarily.

This was then followed by Goh taking the stand to give his version of the events that took place on 29 September 2010 and 24 October 2010.

Goh said he was with the girl at Hotel 81 Bencoolen in September 2010, when a police raid occurred.

He added he was asked by the police for his ID and the girl's ID.

He then told the court that he was frightened and "lost the mood after the police check".

On the second occasion in October 2010, Goh also insisted he did not have sex with the girl at his condominium.

He said he was unable to get aroused due to "strenuous running activities".

He added that he "laid in bed with the girl, cuddled and watched television".

Goh also told the court that he had given the girl S$400 for the first occasion and S$550 for the second.

Goh is one of the 51 men charged with having commercial sex with a minor.

He is the second man to contest the charges after Swiss national Juerg Buergin.

- CNA/ms

 

[General Veers]

Verdict of business consultant in online vice ring trial to be delivered on 5 July

By Alvina Soh
POSTED: 07 May 2013 6:44 PM

The trial of business consultant Edward Whistler Goh, who faced two counts of having paid sex with a minor, ended on Tuesday. The verdict will be out on 5 July.

Edward Whistler Goh (photo: Francine Lim, channelnewsasia.com)

SINGAPORE: The trial of business consultant Edward Whistler Goh, who faced two counts of having paid sex with a minor, ended on Tuesday.

The verdict will be out on 5 July.

The 50-year-old bachelor is the second person to be claiming trial in the online vice ring case, after Swiss national Juerg Buergin.

Goh is accused of paying the girl for sex at Hotel 81 Bencoolen on 29 September and at his previous home in Telok Kurau on 24 October 2010.

The girl was below 18 years old at the time of the alleged offences.

Goh, who is represented by Mr Choo Si Sen and Mr S Balamurugan, is denying that he had sex with her on the two occasions.

His defence was that a police raid had interrupted the first occasion and there was no sex involved.

Goh said both of them had left the hotel after that as he was "no longer in the mood."

He later paid the girl S$450 and gave her a lift to Bugis Junction in his car.

Deputy Public Prosecutor S Sellakumaran told the court that the girl had testified earlier in a private court hearing, that there was sex involved.

The prosecution also questioned if Goh had left together with the minor because he wanted them to look like a couple and had also told her to maintain the facade.

Goh, in turn denied, and added that he just wanted to get away from the hotel because he was frightened of the police raid.

On the second meeting which took place at his house, Goh claimed he was unable to get aroused and have sex with the girl. He said he paid the girl S$500 after that.

During cross-examination, Goh revealed that he kept in contact with the girl after October 2010, and that they had struck up a "friendship."

He added that he had promised her several things, including job opportunities and they were also planning a joint trip overseas.

The prosecution brought up the girl's earlier testimony in court, where she claimed she was unable to recognise Goh or remember his name.

In response, Goh told the court that he was "shocked" to hear that.

Both the defence and the prosecution will tender their written submissions by 24 June.

Goh is one of 51 men charged with having commercial sex with a minor.

If convicted, he could be jailed up to seven years and fined on each charge.

- CNA/xq

 

[General Veers]

Swiss national jailed for having paid sex with underage girl

By Alvina Soh
POSTED: 08 May 2013 11:33 AM
UPDATED: 08 May 2013 6:03 PM

The Swiss national accused of having commercial sex with a minor has been sentenced to jail for four months and three weeks.

41-year-old Juerg Buergin was found guilty on both charges of having paid sex with a minor. (photo: Francine Lim, channelnewsasia.com)

SINGAPORE: The Swiss national accused of having commercial sex with a minor has been sentenced to jail for four months and three weeks.

41-year-old Juerg Buergin was found guilty on both charges of having paid sex with an underage girl following a three-day trial last month.

In his sentencing, District Judge Eddy Tham said the former UBS executive showed no signs of remorse and was "reckless" in not verifying the age of the minor.

Buergin was the first of the 51 men in the online vice ring cases to claim trial - a fact which the district judge said made a "significant difference" in his case.

So far, 18 men had been dealt with and on average, each man was jailed for about 12 weeks.

The judge added that he had considered sentencing Buergin to 12 weeks as "a starting point" if Buergin had pleaded guilty. However, when the father-of-two claimed trial, the judge said that Buergin should have considered "not being afforded the discount that had been given in previous cases as a sign of remorse."

The judge added that the father-of-two "clearly did not take any reasonable steps to avoid falling foul of the law."

Mr Tham then cited the first occasion where Buergin had sex with the girl in September 2010.

Mr Tham said that "alarm bells should have rung" for Buergin after he was informed by the pimp that the girl had to be home early due to parental control.

However, Buergin did not show any concern nor bothered to make any verbal enquiry with her.

Mr Tham noted that Buergin had chosen to ignore the risks of this representation being untrue.

In addition, Mr Tham pointed out that Buergin's lack of remorse was also indicated by his claim that he was a a victim of cheating.

The judge chided Buergin for appearing to put full blame for his predicament on the misrepresentation, and took no responsibility for engaging in reckless commercial sex with the girl.

Mr Tham also noted the wide age disparity of 22 years between the girl and Buergin.

While taking Buergin's mitigation plea into consideration, Mr Tham said that Buergin's job loss and being "stuck in a foreign country" were not strong enough mitigating factors.

Throughout the half-hour as his sentence was being read out, Buergin remained emotionless and continued to do so even when he was later led away handcuffed by two police officers.

His lawyer, Mr Selva K Naidu told the media after the sentencing that his client "missed his family very much and wanted to put this behind him and go back home."

Buergin has two weeks to decide if he wants to appeal against his sentence. But Channel NewsAsia understands that Buergin does not intend to do so, for now.

- CNA/ac

 

[General Veers]

Ex-UBS Executive Director Buergin Gets Jail for Underage Sex

By Andrea Tan - May 8, 2013 11:00 AM GMT+0800

Juerg Buergin, a former UBS AG (UBSN) executive director of operations, was sentenced to four months and three weeks in prison for having sex with an underage prostitute in Singapore.

Buergin showed no sign of remorse by standing trial and claiming he was a victim of deception by the girl and her pimp, Singapore Subordinate Courts Judge Eddy Tham said today after convicting the 41-year-old Swiss national on April 30 of two counts of having sex with a minor.

Juerg Buergin, a former executive director of operations of UBS AG, arrives at the subordinate courts in Singapore on April 30, 2013. Photographer: Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images

Prosecutors, who have charged 51 men for sex with the prostitute, had sought a sentence of at least six months for each count. Buergin could have been jailed as long as 7 years and fined for each charge. His lawyer had asked for a sentence in line with the other 18 men who have been jailed for as long as 16 weeks for sex with the same girl after pleading guilty.

Buergin, who was married with two children at the time of the offenses, was handcuffed and led away by two policemen. He doesn’t intend to appeal his sentence at this time, his lawyer Selva Naidu said.

“He wants to put this behind him and go back home,” Naidu said. Buergin, who left UBS in February 2012 about two months before he was charged, lost his job at the bank because of the case, Naidu had said during the trial.

Higher Standard

Singapore laws impose a higher standard of care to prevent sexual exploitation of minors, Tham had said in convicting Buergin last week.

“Parliament drew a bright line to criminalize commercial sex with minors who are below 18,” he said. “It is an offense even if it can ever be objectively and unanimously agreed that the minor appeared and behaved as if she was indeed older.”

Another 12 men facing the same charges still intend to challenge them, according to their lawyer Subhas Anandan.

“This judge’s word is not the final say,” Subhas said. “There’s no such thing that this is a strict or absolute liability offense,” referring to the legal standard under which a person doesn’t require the intent to commit a crime to be guilty.

The criminal case is Public Prosecutor v Buergin Juerg. DAC13762/2012. Singapore Subordinate Courts.

To contact the reporter on this story: Andrea Tan in Singapore at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Douglas Wong at [email protected]

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Ex-banker files appeal against conviction in online vice ring case

Published on May 13, 2013

Swiss national Juerg Buergin (above) who was jailed last week for obtaining commercial sex from an underage escort filed a notice of appeal against his conviction on Monday, May 13, 2013. -- ST FILE PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Elena Chong

Swiss national Juerg Buergin who was jailed last week for obtaining commercial sex from an underage escort filed a notice of appeal against his conviction on Monday.

The 41-year-old former bank executive director was found guilty last month after a four-day trial of two counts of paying $600 and $650 for the sexual services of the minor at luxury hotels on Sept 29, 2010 and Jan 3, 2011 respectively.

He was sentenced to four months and three weeks in jail by District Judge Eddy Tham on Wednesday.

The father of two was the first among 51 men to have claimed trial for commercial sex with the minor.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Online vice ring case: Ex-banker appeals against his conviction

Published on Jun 05, 2013

Swiss national Juerg Buergin is appealing against his conviction based on the issue of mens rea, or ''guilty mind''. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Former Swiss banker Juerg Buergin has launched an appeal against his conviction for having sex with the underage prostitute at the centre of the vice ring case.

The 41-year-old was sentenced to four months and three weeks in prison last month after being found guilty of paying the 17-year-old for her sexual services. Eighteen other men have received jail terms of between eight and 16 weeks for having sex with the same social escort.

Buergin's lawyer, Mr Selva K. Naidu, said the petition of appeal was filed yesterday.

He told The Straits Times it would be based on the issue of mens rea, or "guilty mind".

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Businessman in online vice ring case given 9 weeks' jail

By Claire Huang
POSTED: 18 Jun 2013 5:15 PM

SINGAPORE: A businessman implicated in the online vice ring scandal which broke out last year was on Tuesday given a nine-week jail term.

Ng Guan Mean, 38, admitted to having commercial sex with an underage girl in October 2010.

He had paid the girl S$600.

Under the law, one can be jailed up to seven years and fined, for having paid sex with someone under 18.

Ng is the 19th of 51 individuals charged in the online vice ring case to be dealt with.

In sentencing, the district judge said the men who had commercial sex with the same girl were generally handed a three-month jail term.

The 18 men received jail terms of between eight and 16 weeks.

The judge noted that Ng was suffering from depression at the time of the offence, and that this impaired his judgement.

Ng has indicated he wants to appeal against the sentence and is out on a S$15,000 bail.

- CNA/xq

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

High Court dismisses appeal of man behind online vice ring

By Amanda Lee
POSTED: 28 Jun 2013 11:30 PM

SINGAPORE: Was Tang Boon Thiew, the man behind the online vice ring which has implicated more than 20 men, a "villainous" pimp who took advantage of an underage girl or a mere scapegoat?

This was a question his lawyers put before the High Court on Friday, as they appealed against the "manifestly excessive" sentence imposed on Tang.

In January, the 39-year-old was sentenced to 58 months in jail and a S$90,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to 20 charges of living off the earnings of prostitutes, procuring women for prostitution and abetting clients who wanted paid sex with a minor.

While Tang acknowledged his wrongdoings, his lawyer, Mr Shashi Nathan, argued that the punishment should also be fair.

"In the last year, issues of fidelity, the protection of young girls and women and, ultimately, the reputation of families, have come to the forefront.

Is the prosecution harnessing the appellant (Tang) with the yoke of all these issues?" he asked.

One issue raised during the appeal was whether Tang had exploited the Internet to commit the offences.

Mr Nathan argued that Senior District Judge See Kee Oon had "erred in accepting the prosecution's position" that Tang had "misused the Internet in the commission of the offences".

While the Internet was used to advertise, make arrangements with prospective clients and recruit escorts, Mr Nathan argued that arrangements with the clients and the escorts were largely done through Tang's mobile phone.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mark Tay countered that the Internet was an "essential conduit" in Tang's offences, as it allowed him to recruit prostitutes, advertise the sexual services of those recruited and provide a contact point for would-be clients without risking physical interaction between such clients and Tang.

Justice Chan Seng Onn, who presided over Friday's hearing, dismissed the appeal. He did not state his reasons or indicate if he would be giving a written judgment at a later date.

-TODAY

 

[General Veers]

Online vice ring case: Swiss national loses appeal against conviction

Published on Jul 12, 2013

Former banker Juerg Buergin of Switzerland, 41, arrives at the Subordinate courts in Singapore on May 8, 2013. Buergin, convicted of two counts of obtaining commercial sex from an underage escort in the online vice ring case, lost his appeal against the conviction on Friday, July 12, 2013. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP

By Elena Chong

Swiss national Juerg Buergin, convicted of two counts of obtaining commercial sex from an underage escort in the online vice ring case, lost his appeal against the conviction on Friday.

The 41-year-old former banker was found guilty after a trial in April of paying $600 and $650 for the sexual services of the 17-year-old at the Shangri-la Hotel and Mandarin Oriental Hotel in September 2010 and January 2011 respectively.

He was one of 51 men brought to court in 2011 for having paid sex with the girl, who was below 18 at the time. Nineteen others have pleaded guilty and sentenced to between eight and 16 weeks' jail. Two have appealed against their sentences.

Buergin has been serving his sentence of four months and three weeks since May. He did not appeal against the sentence. According to his lawyer, he is due to be released on Aug 12.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

 

[General Veers]

Online vice ring: 20th man pleads guilty to sex with underage escort

Published on Jul 23, 2013

A 20th man in the online vice ring case admitted to paying $450 for the sexual services of an underage escort. Arjunan Kulasegaram (above), 38, who is self-employed, was surfing the Internet in late 2010 looking for social escorts when he came across a website providing sexual services. -- TNP FILE PHOTO: GARY GOH

By Elena Chong

A 20th man in the online vice ring case admitted to paying $450 for the sexual services of an underage escort. Arjunan Kulasegaram, 38, who is self-employed, was surfing the Internet in late 2010 looking for social escorts when he came across a website providing sexual services.

Using the alias "Mike'' he arranged his bookings with the escorts by sending text messages from his mobile phone to the contact number listed on the website. On Oct 10 that year, he sent a text message to the pimp, Tang Boon Thiew, to find out if he had any Singaporean females for booking that day.

Tang told him that the minor was available and that her sexual services would cost $450 for one hour. Kulasegaram confirmed the booking with Tang and said he had a room at the Pan Pacific Orchard, Claymore Road. He met the escort, who was then 17, at the hotel and brought her to the room where she performed oral sex for him. He paid her $450.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Elizabeth Chua is seeking a sentence of around 12 weeks' jail in line with the other cases. So far, 19 others have also pleaded guilty to having commercial sex with the same girl and were each given between eight and 12 weeks' jail. Another man, Swiss national Juerg Buergin, 41, was convicted after trial and sentenced to four months and three weeks. The judge postponed sentencing to Aug 16 to find out if the Singapore Prison Service can accommodate Kulasegaram's medical ailments. The maximum penalty for the offence is seven years' jail and a fine.

 

[Yashiro]

sure or not ah neh looking for social escorts?