Court will not call under-age prostitutes as witnesses

A judge has ruled that two under-age girls working as prostitutes do not have to give evidence at the depositions hearing of the man who allegedly employed them at a brothel.

Christchurch District Court Judge John Bisphan made the ruling this morning after hearing legal argument at the depositions hearing yesterday.

A 58-year-old man faces charges involving commercial sexual services by the girls, cannabis charges, and running a brothel without an operator's certificate.

The girls' evidence had been handed to the judge in written form, but the defence argued that they should be called as witnesses.

The man has not been committed for trial. After the ruling, the depositions hearing was adjourned to July 17 to give defence counsel Gerald Lascelles a chance to consider applying for a review.

The man, who told police he was the landlord and not the proprietor of the brothel, was remanded on bail.

- NZPA