Brothel-keeper found guilty of sex charges

File photo / Bay of Plenty Times

New Plymouth brothel-keeper Michael Hastie has been found guilty of under-age sex and prostitution charges.

Hastie, 60, had denied six under-age sex and prostition charges relating to a 15-year-old girl, as well as supplying cannabis to her and another underage girl. He was found guilty of all the sex charges but not guilty on the cannabis ones following a trial in the New Plymouth District Court, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

Hastie had lured the teenager to New Plymouth, then put her to work as a prostitute from his home.

A number of prostitutes, and their clients, had defended him and said he did not put her to work.

However, Hastie had admitted booking and paying for the girl's bus ticket and knowing that she was only 15.

He was remanded on bail and will be sentenced on October 13.

- NZPA