Man charged with keeping young Brisbane women as sex slaves
A Brisbane man has been charged with forcing girls as young as 17 into sexual slavery and branding them with tattoos claiming them as his property.
Police allege 35-year-old Matthew Markcrow kept the women aged 17 to 24 in conditions of servitude of unlawful prostitution, and drugged them.
They alleged he controlled their life and money, had them tattooed as being his property and secretly filmed their sexual acts with male clients.
He has been charged with ten offences after police raided two residential addresses in Mount Gravatt East, in the city’s south, and South Brisbane.
The women were working at the South Brisbane unit and resided at Mt Gravatt East property, police said.
He was allegedly assisted by a 23-year-old woman, Crystal Marie Sawyer, who has also been arrested and charged with unlawful prostitution.
Police allegedly found four women at the property in the Mount Gravatt East during the search, alongside drugs, and other evidence they said supports sexual servitude and organised prostitution offences.
Police also say they found covert recordings made of male clients and the victims engaged in sexual acts.
Detective Inspector Juliet Hancock, Officer-in-Charge of the Prostitution Enforcement Taskforce said investigations started in October 2020 following calls from the public.
“The information received was that the women were being exploited by the male by being given stupefying drugs and forced into prostitution,” she said.
“We believe there are other victims who have been exploited by the man and I encourage them to come forward and contact police.
“Police are working with community service providers to offer the victims any care and support they may seek.”
The man has been charged with 10 offences related to the alleged crimes, including unlawful prostitution, aggravated servitude of a victim under 18, possessing dangerous drugs and utensils and illegally recording in breach of the Privacy Act.
