Pimp who forced minor into prostitution pleads guilty again

SINGAPORE — The case involving a pimp accused of forcing a minor into serving more than 100 sex customers took another twist yesterday, as he changed his mind about retracting his guilty plea.

Chinese national Tang Huisheng, 37, had indicated he wanted to claim trial when he was first hauled to court, but pleaded guilty last month on the day his case was scheduled to start.

On Wednesday, he disputed some of the facts of his case and wanted to retract his plea.

Yesterday, however, Tang did an about-turn yet again.

He is expected to be sentenced on Oct 10.

The four charges Tang faces include bringing the girl — also a Chinese national — into Singapore for prostitution, living off her earnings, harbouring her and abetting a man to have paid sex with her.

Last month, the court heard that Tang gave drugs to the girl, then 17, on one occasion and had sex with her while she was still in a stupor. He also asked her for sex repeatedly and beat her if she did not comply.

Between May 18 and June 1 this year, the girl served some 100 clients on about 150 occasions, with Tang charging about S$60 each time.

Tang collected about S$9,000 in all, and used the money to pay for rental and gamble at the casino, among other things.

The two met earlier this year in Zhuhai, China, when she sought better work opportunities to help pay off her family’s debts.

So far, 24 men have been charged with having paid sex with the girl.

Thirteen have been sentenced to between 11 and 12 weeks’ jail each. CLAIRE HUANG