Bawdy house charges against 11 Remington’s dancers and four customers have been quietly dropped.
But the Crown will press ahead with four remaining charges against
the club and its employees when the trial resumes in the fall.
Crown Attorney Calvin Barry says he withdrew bawdyhouse inmate
charges against the 11 employees and four found-in charges against patrons because scheduling problems have drawn the trial out – three years out, in fact.
“Unfortunately for everyone, [because of] the scheduling problems
that existed, I didn’t think it was in the interests of justice to have
them keep on returning and returning,” Barry says.
Charges of keeping a common bawdy house against DJ George Bender have also been dropped.
However, Barry will press ahead with charges against two managers facing charges of permitting an indecent theatrical performance at the popular Yonge St strip club, which was raided after a three-month police undercover operation back in February 1996.
Barry says he is awaiting the outcome of guilt or innocence in
charges against managers Robert Potts and Kenneth McKeigan, before deciding whether to drop indecent theatrical performance charges against another two dancers. Barry says the pair was “involved in the stage presentation of Sperm Attack Mondays.”
The charge of indecent theatrical performance – in this case, allegedly jacking off on stage – carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail for the individuals. Convictions would likely result in a review of Remington’s liquor licence.
“There are two aspects to the prosecution,” Barry says. “The
legality – whether or not it was a criminal offence for the activities [taking place] on Sperm Attack Mondays. [And] the second which leads to indecent theatrical performances under the Criminal Code.”
But Barry says there is a separate allegation surrounding evidence heard from an undercover officer who was posting as a patron. The officer claims he was offered sex for money if he followed dancers into Remington’s second-floor VIP booths.
“Acts of masturbation – mutual masturbation and the like – in
exchange for usually about $30,” Barry says. “So that’s the other feature of this prosecution.
“There are two prongs to it, which take it out of the realm of what
people thought it was, which was gay lapdancing, so to speak.”
Trouble is, undercover cops were too shy to actually negotiate a
VIP dance for themselves, which likely had something to do with the
decision to drop so many charges.
Attempts to reach Remington’s lawyer Edward Greenspan were unsuccessful.
Although those involved could have made everything go away by pleading guilty and paying a fine, owner George Pratt has refused to make a deal and has covered the legal expenses of his dancers and employees.
The case is back in court (at Old City Hall, Queen and Bay streets) on Mon, Sep 13.
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