A former Canberra brothel operator accused of raping multiple women was "trying to get his rocks off" by attempting sexual acts with new workers, a jury has heard.
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Bradley Lester Grey, 54, is on trial in the ACT Supreme Court and is facing 27 charges against nine alleged victims, including 16 counts of rape and 10 counts of performing an act of indecency.
Mr Grey has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
A former sex worker, appearing in court via video link on Wednesday, said she responded to an online ad for Mitchell Mistresses in 2016. It allegedly claimed employees could make between $7000 and $10,000 a week.
Mr Grey responded to her inquiry by email, she said, before they spoke on the phone.
"He made it sound very extravagant," the former employee told police in an interview shown to the jury.
During their phone conversation, Mr Grey allegedly told the woman he could offer new staff "support and ongoing training".
The witness said he picked her up in his silver wagon close to her residence - "I called it the shaggin' wagon," she told police - after she told him she did not have a driver's licence. During the drive to the brothel, he seemed like a "charming character", the court heard.
On arrival at Mitchell Mistresses, Mr Grey allegedly helped her to set up an online profile, before taking her into the "VIP room", where he took photos of her in schoolgirl-style lingerie, the witness said.
Afterwards, he asked her to give him a massage while he was naked for training purposes, she said. She did, keeping her hands "above his waist", before he gave her a massage, telling her she had to know how to please a woman, the former employee told police.
She allegedly told him she would not offer services to women and that she did not need him to massage her. When she went back to massaging him, Mr Grey allegedly moved her hand to his penis.
She pulled her hand away quickly, she said, before telling him she did not expect to do sexual acts as part of the training. The witness told the court she left the room after a few minutes of massaging above the waist, and began work at the brothel that evening.
"It was a bit awkward. I was thinking, 'What the f--- is wrong with this guy?'" she told the court.
"If I could go back now, I would have never stepped foot in that shop.
"It pissed me off, but it didn't traumatise me."
Prosecutors say forcing women to perform sex acts as a condition of employment negated consent at Mitchell Mistresses. Under cross-examination, the woman said she knew she was coming to work in the adult industry, but she denied knowing she had already gotten the job in the VIP room, saying the photographs and training could have been Mr Grey's way of seeing how new women went.
The witness told police she thought training was just sitting and talking. She told the court it had been the Sex Workers Outreach Program and not Mr Grey who had made her aware of mandatory health checks, and how it was illegal to perform intercourse and oral services on clients without a condom.
The trial continues.
Cassandra Morgan
It has never been more important for Canberrans to be able to access reliable and accurate information about health. As The Canberra Times’ health reporter, I am committed to ensuring our readers have access to this. I, like many in the territory, have family members who work in the sector. Although providing comprehensive coverage on the coronavirus pandemic is obviously my number one priority, I aim to frequently shed light on the fantastic work our frontline professionals do, as well as the challenges they face. Email me tips and story ideas at: c.morgan@canberratimes.com.au.
It has never been more important for Canberrans to be able to access reliable and accurate information about health. As The Canberra Times’ health reporter, I am committed to ensuring our readers have access to this. I, like many in the territory, have family members who work in the sector. Although providing comprehensive coverage on the coronavirus pandemic is obviously my number one priority, I aim to frequently shed light on the fantastic work our frontline professionals do, as well as the challenges they face. Email me tips and story ideas at: c.morgan@canberratimes.com.au.
