Judge dismisses jury in U.K. prostitution trial

A British judge has dismissed the jury and halted the trial of Latvian man charged with sex trafficking and inciting prostitution, according to media reports.

Judge Jonathan Haworth of Cambridge Crown Court was forced to halt the case against 38-year-old Pēteris Kalva for undisclosed reasons, the weekly Cambs Times reported April 8. Kalva’s trial began April 1.

Kalva was released on bail and is expected to face a new trial date later this year, the newspaper reported.

Kalva is accused of importing a 26-year-old woman from Latvia and selling her sexual services in the summer of 2007 in the town of Wisbech in east central England.

Kalva, who has a pregnant wife, denies the charges.

Andris Straumanis is a special correspondent for and a co-founder of Latvians Online. From 2000–2012 he was editor of the website.

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