Paid with crack cocaine, teen says in accused pimp's trial

A former teenage prostitute told a St. John's courtroom of her life across the street— but a world away— as she testified against the man accused of being her pimp.

The girl, who is now 16, told Newfoundland Supreme Court Tuesday that she was 14 when she began working as a prostitute for Shawn Newman, a Mount Pearl resident.

In an ironic twist, the girl's working area was on a stretch of Duckworth Street in downtown St. John's across from the historic courthouse where Newman is being tried on several prostitution-related charges, including two of living off the avails of prostitution of a minor.

The girl's name is protected by a publication ban.

The girl said she began working as a prostitute at 12, and that she knew Newman had other girls who were working for him.

She said she began working for Newman when she felt threatened by someone who had wanted to have sex with her.

However, she said, the working relationship was far from lucrative.

She told the court she turned all of her income over to Newman, and even though she was at times on the street every day, she had little cash.

Instead, she testified, Newman paid her with crack cocaine.

The girl and other witnesses at Newman's trial have testified that Newman employed other prostitutes working at various corners of Duckworth Street, which for many years has been a hub in the St. John's sex trade.

Newman's trial is continuing Wednesday.