Prosecutor Appeals Acquittal in Major Sex Trade Case
The prosecutor appeals the acquittal of two individuals in a sex trade case involving massage salons in Jönköping and Linköping.
Key Points
- • Prosecutor Anna Mårtensson appeals Jönköping court's acquittal of two individuals charged with pimping.
- • Evidence suggests over 3,000 sex purchases at implicated salons.
- • One accused has a history of previous convictions for pimping.
- • Court found insufficient evidence that defendants were aware of the sex trade activities.
In a significant legal development, the prosecutor in Jönköping has filed an appeal against the acquittal of two individuals previously charged with pimping in connection to a high-profile brothel case involving massage salons in Jönköping and Linköping. The Jönköping District Court had acquitted the defendants due to a lack of evidence demonstrating that they were aware of the extensive sex trade occurring at the salons. According to the prosecutor, Anna Mårtensson, the ruling is unreasonable, arguing that the defendants had deliberately avoided any written documentation to obscure their involvement.
Mårtensson stated, "There is evidence in the form of messages on the masseuses' phones that indicates knowledge of the activities." Around 3,000 instances of sex purchases have been linked to the three massage salons under investigation, highlighting the extensive nature of the operations. Notably, one of the accused has a previous conviction for pimping dating back to 2013, raising further questions about their defense. As the case unfolds, the legal community will closely monitor how the appeal progresses and whether additional evidence may come to light to substantiate the allegations against the purported owners of the establishments.
This appeal underscores ongoing concerns regarding illicit sex work and trafficking in Sweden, as authorities continue to grapple with enforcement and prosecution in these complex cases.