Brothel owner named

A Christchurch brothel-operator accused of exploiting under-age sex workers has lost a long-running bid to keep her name suppressed.

The Court of Appeal has refused Anna Anastazja Horlor leave to appeal against continued name suppression, saying publication will not affect her right to a fair trial.

Horlor is alleged to have employed two girls under the age of 18 to engage in striptease performances involving sex acts at a brothel, and one of the girls to act as a prostitute.

She faces six charges under the Prostitution Reform Act of facilitating and deriving benefits from commercial sexual services and two charges under the Crimes Act that she hired or entered into dealings with the girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

One of the girls was an international student attending high school on a student visa.

Horlor first appeared before the court in November 2007 and she has fought the publication or her name ever since, arguing it would damage her business and cause distress to her 17 year old daughter.

But the court dismissed Horlor’s appeal. In a written judgment issued today, it said: “We cannot see how publication of the appellant’s name could affect her right to a fair trial. Any publicity attendant on the lifting of name suppression will be confined to identifying the appellant and describing the charges she faces.’’

The case is set to go to back to court on April 1.

- © Fairfax NZ News