26 Jul 2009

Eight jailed for child prostitution ring: report

7:11 am on 26 July 2009

A court in southwest China has sentenced eight people, including four officials, to between seven years and life in prison for their roles in a child prostitution ring.

The China Daily newspaper said on Saturday the ringleader, a woman, was sentenced to life for forcing 10 schoolgirls into prostitution. The youngest victim was 13 years old.

The court in Zunyi, Guizhou province, on Friday sentenced seven others to between seven and 14 years in prison.

They included four local officials and a teacher found guilty of child rape.

The sex ring operated from October 2007 - July 2008. Parents of one of the girls raised the alarm in August after discovering that their daughter was pregnant.