Women found drugged in ‘sexual servitude’ in Brisbane homes

Victims, aged between 17 and 24, allegedly branded with tattoos marking them as suspect's property

Screen grab from video released by Queensland Police of a man being arrested in Brisbane on suspicion of running a prostitution ring (Queensland Police)

A man has been arrested after police allegedly found women drugged, branded with tattoos and sexually enslaved at a home in Brisbane.

The 35-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman appeared in court on Friday charged with multiple offences including sexual servitude.

Their arrests came after police carried out raids on two residential addresses in Mount Gravatt East and South Brisbane on Thursday where they allegedly discovered “evidence to support sexual servitude and organised prostitution offences”.

Queensland Police said officers also found covert recordings of male clients and the victims engaged in sexual acts as well as drugs.

The male suspect, named by the Australian Associated Press as Matthew James Markcrow, is facing 10 charges including conducting a business involving servitude, unlawful prostitution, recordings in breach of privacy and possession of dangerous drugs and utensils.

The woman, named in reports as Crystal Marie Sawyer, has been charged with three offences, including conducting a business of unlawful prostitution.

It is alleged the man was keeping a number of women between the ages of 17 and 24 in conditions of servitude of unlawful prostitution.

It comes after police executing a search warrant following a four-month investigation uncovered “four women” at the Mount Gravatt East address.

The prosecution alleged the women were given stupefying drugs, subjected to controlled living, financial and work conditions, and were also tattooed as being the defendant’s property.

Detective Inspector Juliet Hancock, from Queensland Police’s Prostitution Enforcement Taskforce, said investigations into the alleged prostitution ring began in October 2020 following information from members of 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.

“The investigation is still ongoing however the women are now safe thanks to the information from members of the public and the diligence of our officers.

“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 and woman appeared at Brisbane Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

The male defendant was remanded in custody until his next court appearance, while his co-accused was granted conditional bail.