Man arrested after ‘drugging and tattooing four ‘sex slaves’ with his name before forcing them into prostitution’
A MAN has been arrested after allegedly drugging and tattooing four sex slaves with his name before forcing them into prostitution.
Matthew James Markcrow, 35, is accused of marking the women's bodies as his "property" in a case that left Australian police "shocked".
Markcrow and his girlfriend Crystal Marie Sawyer, 23, were arrested in a police raid on a townhouse in Brisbane, Queensland, on Thursday.
Following a four-month police investigation into the alleged prostitution ring, Markcrow and Sawyer appeared in Brisbane magistrates court on Friday.
Markcrow faces 10 charges, including conducting a business involving servitude, conducting unlawful prostitution, possessing drugs and tainted property, and breaching privacy.
He is also facing a Commonwealth charge of conducting a business involving sexual servitude of a girl under 18 between March 2019 and August 2019.
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Police allege Markcrow was keeping several women aged between 17 and 24 in conditions of servitude of unlawful prostitution.
It is alleged the women were given stupefying drugs, were branded with tattoos saying "Property of Matt M" and were subjected to sexual servitude.
Drugs and recordings of sexual acts were allegedly uncovered by police officers, reports.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Hughes told the court Ms Sawyer was present with the women at the address during one of the police searches, according to .
Sgt Hughes said: "During the course of the search warrant Sawyer stated she was ‘like a mother’ to the other girls.
"Police observed other girls followed Sawyer’s leadership during the search … she demonstrated a degree of control over the other girls."
During their brief court appearance on Friday, Markcrow gestured with a heart and mouthed "I love you" to two women sitting in the public gallery, reports.
The court heard that Sawyer refused to give officers the passcode to a phone and laptop seized by police.
Magistrate Stephen Courtney granted Sawyer bail, saying: "The allegations against Markcrow have a particularly sinister flavour and perhaps more will be revealed as the investigation is completed.
"But, having said that, I need to be concerned with the charges currently against Ms Sawyer. I am satisfied that risk can be significantly mitigated."
Sawyer was ordered not to contact any witnesses involved in the case, to report to police twice a week and is due to return to court on February 24.
Markcrow was remanded in custody and is scheduled to return to court on February 24.
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Detective Inspector Juliet Hancock said the Prostitution Enforcement Taskforce had received a tip off late last year and that the investigation is still ongoing.
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She said police are still investigating whether there are any more alleged victims and are encouraging anyone with further information to get in touch.
Ms Hancock added: "I’ve been a police officer for 30 years. I’ve not seen this type of offending before. It’s pretty hard to shock police. This is confronting."
