A well-known body builder and ten others appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday, charged with organising and performing indecent acts during a Father's Day strip show at a Hamilton nightclub.

Former Mr. Bermuda, Carlos Albert Nathan Tavares, 38, of Greenfield Lane, Sandys, denied performing the acts in the Rock Room at the Oasis nightclub on June 17, as did Teresa Angelita Waith-Williams, 27, of Rivera Crescent, Southampton, Aradia Elizabeth Scott, 28, of Morgan's Court, Warwick, Nicola Tianne Burchall, 23, of Warwickshire Road, Warwick, Janvari Samantha Gibbons, 23, of Slippery Hill, St. George's, and Roqayya Taalib-Din, 30, of North Shore Road, Hamilton Parish.

Charged with organising the show were Taalib-Din, Jason Grant Bracewell, 34, of Riddell's Bay Road, Warwick, David William Pilgrim, 27, of Southcourt Avenue, Paget, Colin Bean, 26, of Morgan's Court, Warwick and David Scott, 30, of Morgan's Court, Warwick, all of whom pleaded not guilty.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves released them on $500 bail each to return for a two-day trial on December 5, and warned them that it would go forward regardless of any absence by defence counsel.

After the proceedings, the 11 defendants were allowed to leave the building by the side-entrance in an apparent attempt to avoid being photographed by the media. They were among a total of 17 people who were arrested on June 17 during Police raids at the Oasis night club, on Front Street, and the Club House and Sports Bar, on Queen Street, after they received tip-offs about the sex shows.

Three young American women were sent back home after they admitted to lap dancing and performing oral sex on men at the Club House show during an appearance in Magistrates' court a few days later.

Pamela Daniella Givens, Tamika Monique Williamson and Chrissy Rirlano told the court that they had no idea that what they were doing was illegal.

And Crown counsel Graveney Bannister described how the girls had been found performing in front of a "moderate number of male patrons" and said the windows of the club had been blacked out.

The maximum sentence for performing an indecent act is 12 months in prison, and for organising the act the maximum is six months in prison and or a $500 fine.