UPDATED: August 13, 2018

The first names are up on Vincent’s street prostitution convictions website.

The names of two men were posted Tuesday after both pleaded guilty May 30 to seeking a prostitute in a public place. One was fined $750 and the other $500.

One of the men who pleaded guilty told the Voice his family was distressed at the conviction and being named on the website “is making it more difficult”.

He said he’d pleaded guilty to get the matter over with quickly rather than going through an extended trial and risking a greater fine: “My family was at stake, my family was in distress. I am suffering now.”

He said he would never reoffend: “I won’t be going back there”.

At Tuesday’s council meeting three locals said the situation seemed to be improving and urged the council to continue with the “name and shame” policy.

One resident said he’d heard there were mutterings amongst councillors about rescinding the controversial approach and he was “dismayed and horrified at that thought,” but no such motion came to pass this week.

He said he’d been accosted, had his land trespassed on, and used condoms and syringes were found scattered about his property.

Another local said the lowest point had come one Christmas day: She’d gone out to throw some wrapping in the bin—while wearing Tweety Bird pyjamas—to be propositioned by a man seeking paid sex.

Leederville-based council candidates Stuart Lofthouse and Debbie Saunders oppose the policy.

“I find it embarrassing that a council that purports to be so progressive resorts to this,” Ms Saunders says, describing the punishment as mediaeval.

She suggests if those seeking a prostitute are named, drink-drivers should be named too, but adds, “I guess the mayor wouldn’t want that to happen”.

“What a delightful individual,” mayor Alannah MacTiernan says. “It makes you really enjoy public office.”

by DAVID BELL