Three men involved in the operation of a Galway lap-dancing club where gardaí found topless women "dancing" astride male customers on couches in a curtained-off area, appeared before a special sitting of Galway District Court yesterday charged with having two African women working in the club without work permits.
The court heard yesterday that when gardaí raided "Angels", situated at Upper Salthill, Galway, as part of a nationwide crackdown on lap dancing clubs codenamed, "Operation Quest", at 11 p.m. on June 5th, 2003, they found a number of men sitting at tables drinking while one woman danced around a pole.
Two other women, who were topless, were found behind a curtained-off area, sitting astride two male customers on couches.
Sgt Michael Coppinger told the court that he led a team of gardaí in the search which he described as very difficult because some of the dancers were naked.
"It was a very difficult search to carry out. There were 10 dancers there, some of whom were undressed," he said.
A company known as Fat Chef Catering Ltd, trades as "Angels" nightclub. The company's director, Mr Patrick O'Keeffe, Griffith Avenue, Dublin, and his co-accused, head of security and general manager, Mr Danny Kenny, Knocknacarra Park, Salthill; and manager, Mr Michael Clarke, Knocknacarra Park, all deny they had in their employment on June 5th last year non-nationals, Ms Charity Ajayioba and Ms Ese Osahon, who were not in possession of employment permits issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, contrary to Section 2 of the Employment Permits Act, 2003. The case continues today.