Brothel madam could be deported

COURT: Woman, 53, dodges jail but faces losing her visa

A woman found guilty of running a brothel from a luxury flat in Kirkcaldy could be kicked out of the country, despite dodging a jail term.

Chin Chih Chang, 53, was previously convicted of running a vice den out of a waterfront property in the town’s Lord Gambier Wharf between April 2016 and May 2017.

She transferred almost £30,000 of ill-gotten gains from the illegal venture to her native Taiwan.

Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist stopped short of sending her to prison yesterday, instead imposing 300 hours of unpaid work and an electronic tagging order for a year.

The trial heard how one client described getting a “Brucie bonus” after going for a back massage.

Chang, who now lives in England, could face deportation as the Home Office is reviewing her visa.

A woman convicted of running a brothel from a luxury flat in Fife could be kicked out of the country after narrowly avoiding a prison sentence yesterday.

Chin Chih Chang, 53, had maintained that several Asian women who worked for her at the property in Lord Gambier Wharf, Kirkcaldy, between April 2016 and May 2017 were professional masseuses she personally trained.

However, she was found guilty following a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court of operating a sordid sex-for-sale business after a series of men revealed how they were given “extras” by the ladies in her employ.

The brothel madam, who now lives in Eaton Road in Hove, Sussex, was also convicted of transferring almost £30,000 of criminal property to individuals outside of Scotland – namely to her native Taiwan.

Nevertheless, Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist stopped short of imposing a jail term at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court yesterday, instead ordering her to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

Chang, who will also be subject to a tagging order at her home address in England for 12 months between 8pm and 6am, is still facing deportation though, after it emerged her visa is being reviewed by the Home Office.

Police swooped after neighbours described seeing men “of all ages” arriving at the sought-after waterfront flat, and the makeshift brothel was raided on May 31 last year.

One client, Alasdair McIntosh, 56, told how he was surprised to get a “Brucie bonus” from an Asian woman, having claimed he had only gone there for a £100 massage for a sore back.

Chang had claimed it would have been “impossible” for her to run the brothel in Kirkcaldy, but a jury took less than an hour to find her guilty earlier this year.

A neighbour, Barry Livingstone, told the trial that he was curious about what was happening inside the privatelyrented flat as a string of men visited, so he searched on the internet for “massage in Kirkcaldy” and came across adverts placed by Chang under her alias name of Sophia.

The adverts offered “professional massage” but several witnesses said they were offered sexual services by Chang and the girls.

Another witness, James Saunders, told the jury he had started using the services at Lord Gambier Wharf but began receiving visits to his home during the winter months. He told how the cash – between £80 and £110 – was always handed to “the boss lady” by either himself or the young Asian girl who was giving him “the full service”. Jurors also heard from police officers who were first on the scene during the raid on May 31 and told how Chang had tried to raise the alarm with a young girl as she was in a room with client Mr McIntosh.

Four mobile phones were found as the property was searched, alongside lubricant and a Moneygram receipt for £600. A handwritten Chinese to English phrase book was also discovered. It included lines such as: “No money, no touch, just watch.”

Defence solicitor David Bell said his client was in the country on a spouse visa, although her case was now under review by the Home Office. “The conviction will no doubt feature in discussions made about her longer-term future in the UK,” he noted.

A confiscation order by the Crown, which will attempt to seize her ill-gotten gains, will be considered in six weeks.

The conviction will no doubt feature in discussions made about her longer-term future in the UK

Chin Chih Chang was found guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court of running a sordid sex business from a flat.