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Wednesday, 27 July, 2011

The man accused of running “slum” boarding houses in Canberra’s suburbs has been hit with criminal charges one year after investigators shut down his properties.
 
Qiang Hua Fan, also known as Jason Fan, made a brief first appearance in the ACT Magistrates Court this morning.
 
More than 100 people, including children as young as 12 months, were removed from five homes owned by Fan or his partner, Li Wei, when authorities swooped in July last year.
 
Houses in Ngunnawal, Scullin, Melba, Macquarie and Downer were deemed unfit for human habitation after inspectors allegedly found illegal alterations, faulty wiring and vermin infestations.
 
One house, a two-bedroom home in Macquarie, was allegedly home to 24 people.
 
Fan has been charged with five counts of allowing unsanitary conditions to exist and five counts of carrying out a public health risk activity – specifically running a boarding house – without holding a licence.
 
He appeared before Magistrate Peter Dingwall this morning on a summons, and is due back in court on August 17.

By Louis Andrews

The Canberra Times