La Romaine couple hit with stiff fines for prostitution

Richard Banfield, 46, and his common-law wife, Susan John, of Dumfries Road, Rambert Village, near San Fernando, were ordered by Magistrate Melvin Daniel in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court to pay the fines forthwith.

Banfield and John, who have a two-month old baby, were fined $2,500 for the offence of permitting their premises to be used as a brothel. The magistrate imposed a fine of $2,500 for each of the three counts of aiding and abetting prostitution. The couple had pleaded guilty on Monday to all the charges. Three women caught in the La Romaine house who were charged with prostitution were yesterday ordered to pay $1,200 each within one week or serve four months in jail.

Camille Lopez, 20, of St Clements Village, Ste Madeleine; Crystal Hutchinson, 18, of Lengdore Village, Chaguanas; and Dee Cooper, 22, of Moruga Road, Moruga, were charged with soliciting themselves for an immoral purpose, namely prostitution. The three women had pleaded guilty when they appeared before Daniel in the Fourth Court.

The couple and the three women were arrested in a police raid by the South Operations Unit of the Police Service on Friday evening. PC Mark Clement and another police officer went to the La Romaine house where they met the couple. The police officers noticed sexual acts being performed inside a room in the house. The five were taken into custody and charged at the San Fernando Police Station by PC Clement.