Cospicua man accused of being a pimp, denied bail

A Cospicua resident has denied benefiting from the prostitution of a 42 year old woman, in court this morning.

Earlier today, police inspectors Paula Ciantar and John Spiteri arraigned 37-year old Stephen Galea, before magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, accusing him of living off the earnings of prostitution in the weeks leading up to 27 October.

The court was told that a police patrol had spotted the woman loitering in the vicinity of Gzira and had stopped to speak to her, as she was not one of the regular streetwalkers who are known to the police.

Galea was arrested after the woman had told the officers that he had forced her to solicit sex for money.

Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Yanika Vidal informed the court that their client would be pleading not guilty and requested bail.

The court noted the plea but did not grant bail, however, due to the high risk that the accused could approach witnesses in the case.