Taiwanese national Yi-Shiuan Tsai, 37, pleads guilty to failing to comply with coronavirus public health directions

A Brisbane massage parlour owner who offered a “coronavirus holiday” discount has been fined for breaching COVID-19 health restrictions.

A Brisbane massage parlour owner who offered a “coronavirus holiday” discount has been fined for breaching COVID-19 health restrictions.

Taiwanese national Yi-Shiuan Tsai, 37, today pleaded guilty to failing to comply with public health directions on March 30.
The health directions, introduced on March 25, mandated that all non-essential businesses close.

Yi-Shiuan Tsai, 37, leaves Brisbane Magistrate Court after pleading guilty to a COVID-19 restriction breach.

The Brisbane Magistrates Court heard detectives doing compliance checks on massage parlours found an ad for Lavender Massage and Spa in Lutwyche.

Police prosecutor Sgt Karen Hall said police contacted the number and were told the shop was closed but offering outcalls and private massages with a “coronavirus holiday promotion for $50 off”.

Police attended the shop’s car park and were greeted by Tsai and a Brazilian woman who were both detained.

Tsai told police she believed she was able to rent a room to the woman to do massages under the COVID restrictions as her business was now closed.

The court heard she earned a $30 commission for each client of the masseuse and admitted sending text messages on the work phone.

As a business owner Tsai was handed the corporate fine of $6,672.50 for the COVID breach and issued a notice to appear on charges of participating in the provision of prostitution services and possessing tainted property.

The property and prostitution charges were today dropped by police.

Magistrate Steve Courtney there was no suggestion that Tsai’s business “was in itself, illegal”.

“The facts are that you had a business, which provided messages,” he said.

Sgt Hall said an on-the-spot fine for an individual breaching COVID rules was $1334.

Tsai’s barrister Daniel Caruana said his client was not making a significant amount of money at the time.

“She found herself in a position where she was in a foreign country … just trying to make ends meet,” he said.

“She wasn‘t doing this out of abject greed. She was in quite a difficult financial position.”

Mr Caruana said at the time she had changed her business practices so there were fewer customers.

Mr Courtney said Tsai’s offending came “perhaps at the height of the community concern about COVID”.

Noting her lack of criminal history, guilty plea and financial situation he fined her $1000 and did not record a conviction.