Montreal- Charges of committing an immoral act have been dropped against a Montreal stripper who was working in St. John’s, N.L. But the club she worked for isn’t getting off as easily. Owners of the strip club have been fined $7,500 – the maximum possible fine – on two charges of violating an obscure part of the Criminal Code.

Bubbles Gentlemen’s Club was charged in April with violating section 167 of the Criminal Code, which deals with what’s called “immoral theatrical performance.”

Montreal stripper Marie-Andrée Lauriault, who works under the stage name Tangerine Dream, performed explicit shows using sex toys in February and April.

Bob Simmonds, a St. John’s lawyer who represented Lauriault and the club, said the fine should not have been enforced.

“If you don’t like the activity, then don’t pay the cover [and] don’t go into the club,” Simmonds said.

Simmonds says prosecutions under that section of the Criminal Code are unusual.

“It’s a very inexact standard – it changes with time,” he said.

“Things that years ago once were clearly criminal are not anymore.”

In the last Tangerine Dream show, Lauriault attempted to set what she called a “gang-bang record.”

Witnesses said 177 men and women lined up along the Bubbles stage to penetrate Lauriault with a sex toy.

At the neighbouring strip club, Cotton Club owner Jody Temple says there should be more, not less, intervention in the industry.

“It really doesn’t change a whole lot,” said Temple, who wants rules governing how dancers at strip clubs can interact with patrons.

“We know this is not allowed, but still the problem persists,” said Temple, adding Newfoundland and Labrador is in the minority of provinces without guidelines governing the erotic entertainment industry.