A woman in Hualien, Taiwan, has been sentenced to two months in prison after stealing 8,200 TWD (approximately RM1,100) from a client while he was in the shower following a sexual encounter. The court found the woman, identified as Xiao Mei, guilty of theft after her inconsistent testimonies failed to sway the judge.
The incident occurred on 11 June 2024, when the victim, Ah Hao, met Xiao Mei for a paid sexual service. According to the prosecution, Xiao Mei insisted that Ah Hao take a shower immediately after their encounter, claiming he had an unpleasant body odour. While he was bathing, she took his motorcycle keys from a table and scavenged 8,200 TWD in cash from his bike’s storage compartment.
During the trial, Xiao Mei provided conflicting defences. She initially claimed that Ah Hao had invited her to take the cash from the motorcycle. Later, she changed her story, alleging that she took the money as “revenge” because Ah Hao refused to pay the agreed 2,000 TWD fee. However, the judge noted that the amount stolen far exceeded any alleged debt, proving her intent to commit theft.
The judge further remarked that if Xiao Mei had truly been bothered by the victim’s hygiene, she would have requested him to shower before the act, not after.
Taking into account her previous criminal record and her lack of remorse during the proceedings, the court sentenced her to two months’ imprisonment, which can be commuted to a fine of 60,000 TWD. While her husband has since repaid 2,000 TWD to the victim, the court ordered the confiscation of the remaining 6,200 TWD.
