Woman handed suspended sentence for running Balzan brothel

A woman found guilty of running a brothel in Balzan has been sentenced to a one-year jail term, suspended for three years.

Lin Han, a resident of Ħamrun, was originally handed a five-year prison sentence in 2022. However, a technical issue led to the proceedings being declared null, resulting in the case being restarted from scratch.

Han operated the Honey Girl Beauty Spa in Balzan, where police investigations revealed that clients were offered sexual services in exchange for money. The establishment was raided in February 2013, during which authorities discovered three Chinese women, over 100 contraceptives, and various sex toys on the premises.

Han had been convicted of human trafficking and offences related to prostitution. However, upon reviewing the case, Magistrate Rachel Montebello ruled that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove Han's involvement in trafficking the women found at the brothel.

Nonetheless, the court found Han guilty of managing the brothel and profiting from prostitution. As a result, in addition to her suspended sentence, she was fined €250 and had €24,600 in cash, along with a BMW X3, confiscated.

Han was represented in court by lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri.