Pimping Suspect’s Trial Adjourned Until 2006

It will be the new year before a pimping suspect can argue he was duped by the city officials into believing the escort sex trade was sanctioned.

Crown and defence lawyers met with Justice Pat Sullivan yesterday to discuss procedural issues before adjourning the three week-old trial.

Several yet-to-be determined days will be set aside sometime in the new year for prosecutor David Torske and defence lawyer Pat Fagan to debate the merits of the accused’s case.

Fagan has said he will argue his client, a former Calgary firefighter, was the victim of officially induced error that amounted to an abuse of process.

The accused testified he was led to believe by both police and city licensing officials they knew escorts were involved in prostitution and condoned the activity.

He said he became involved in the escort industry to help a friend set up an agency, and when she got into drug troubles, he took a more active role.

The accused denied suggestions by Torske he knew all along he was breaking the law while getting young women to sell themselves to “gentlemen callers.”

In fact, the accused said, he hardly made any money at all while Liaisons escort agency was in business.

“During the course of the agency’s existence I was not motivated by money,” he said.

The accused, 40, faces several pimping-related charges, including living off the avails of a juvenile prostitute, in connection wit the business.

He remains on bail pending the conclusion of his trial. Dates to continue the hearing will be set by Dec. 14.