Jess Fang Ching Ting, Yuteng Zhang: Couple accused of causing women to remain in servitude have trial aborted

A Perth couple accused of causing a person to enter or remain in servitude at a massage parlour will have up to a year to continue preparing for their day in court after their trial was aborted. Jess Fang Ching Ting, 39, and Yuteng Zhang, 34, were due to take the stand in the District Court on Tuesday charged with four counts of presenting forged or false document and two counts of causing a person to enter or remain in servitude. But on Tuesday — at the eleventh hour — Judge Seamus Rafferty told the jury the trial had been aborted following a failure to disclose by the Crown of mobile phone downloads. “Yesterday, (I was) advised the defence needs to do certain things. . . for that download which would take two weeks,” he said. “If I proceed (there could be) a miscarriage of justice, which would be of grave concern. “I can only apologise on behalf of the court. You have had your time wasted for the last two days, and for that I’m sincerely sorry.” The Ocean Reef couple are accused of illegally taking a woman’s passport, underpaying her and forcing her to pay off debts that were excessive or unreasonably foisted upon her. Prosecutor Joel Grinceri last year argued the two complainants — who are aged in their late 30s — were vulnerable witnesses entitled to a special witness declaration, which usually means they give evidence remotely. Paul Bevilacqua, representing Ms Ting, opposed the application and said he would prefer they gave evidence in person. Ms Ting and Mr Zhang were both granted bail and will return to court next month.