Shop owner forced 15 year old girl into prostitution

Nghe An Provincial People's Court has just opened a trial of defendant Nguyen Quang Phuc (born 1976), residing in Dien Hai commune, Dien Chau district, for the crime of "Buying and selling children".

In early 2015, Phuc's family opened a seafood and grocery store in Dien Hung commune, Dien Chau district, so they needed someone to work at the store. Phuc's wife remembered that she had previously known Luong Thi Thuy (born in 1976, residing in Chau Quang commune, Quy Chau district), so she gave her husband her phone number to contact and find someone to work at the store.

Phuc contacted Thuy and told her clearly that he was looking for someone who could work as a waitress and also as a prostitute at the bar. “If you meet someone who has worked as a prostitute, tell them directly. If there are young people who have never worked before, tell them to work as waitresses and sellers. When you see other people who have been prostitutes, let them do that job,” Phuc told Thuy and promised to pay her 2 million VND for the job.

After a period of searching, on April 17, 2016, Thuy went to Chau Tien commune, Quy Hop district to meet Nguyen Thi T. (born in 2001) to discuss hiring her to work at Dien Chau beach, with a salary of 4 million VND per month. Thuy asked the girl's family for permission, but her parents did not agree to let her work.

However, taking advantage of the time when T. went to buy tea, Thuy took the child down to Phuc. Afterwards, Phuc gave Thuy 2 million VND in wages and gave T. 3 million VND in salary.

After that, Phuc repeatedly seduced and forced T. to work as a prostitute at his shop, even though he knew she was only 15 years old.

On May 5, 2016, T.'s father filed a complaint against Luong Thi Thuy and Nguyen Quang Phuc for their crimes to the police. Both subjects were arrested and prosecuted for the crime of Child Trafficking.

Luong Thi Thuy was sentenced to 7 years in prison, while Phuc was released on bail by his family for medical treatment due to mental illness.

At the trial, defendant Phuc admitted his crime and asked the court to reduce his sentence.

Considering the case as a whole, the court sentenced Nguyen Quang Phuc to 5 years, 5 months and 27 days for the crime of Child Trafficking, equal to the time spent in detention and medical treatment, so the defendant was released from court.