'Wife' of alleged BDSM sex cult leader charged with child grooming offences
ABC Investigations
/ By Elise Worthington
Posted Tue 30 Nov 2021 at 3:09am Tuesday 30 Nov 2021 at 3:09am Tue 30 Nov 2021 at 3:09am , updated Fri 25 Mar 2022 at 5:30am Friday 25 Mar 2022 at 5:30am Fri 25 Mar 2022 at 5:30am
James Davis is facing almost 60 charges. (Supplied)
abc.net.au/news/wife-of-alleged-bdsm-sex-cult-leader-charged/100661006
A 22-year-old woman who was involved in an alleged BDSM sex cult has been charged over sexual activity with minors and morphine possession.
The woman received bail after appearing before Blacktown court
She is facing 12 charges including transmitting child abuse material
The 22-year-old was one of several women who called themselves "slaves" to a man who is now facing dozens of charges
The woman was arrested yesterday in Blacktown, in Sydney's west, and charged with six counts of using a carriage service to prepare or plan to engage in sexual activity with a minor and five counts of transmitting child abuse material.
The charges carry a combined maximum prison sentence of more than 25 years.
The arrest comes as part of an ongoing AFP human trafficking investigation code named Operation Saintes which began earlier this year after a Four Corners investigation into the group.
The woman's partner, 40-year-old James Davis, was arrested during a dramatic AFP raid on a rural property near Armidale in March where he was living with several women he called his "slaves".
Mr Davis was a prolific user of social media before his arrest, calling himself a "patriarchal overlord" and publicly boasting of his "alternative lifestyle".
The women in the group shared on social media that they had signed slave contracts, wore collars and claimed they were living in a consensual BDSM master/slave relationship with Mr Davis.
Social media posts obtained by the ABC reveal several women, including the 22-year-old, joined the group while they were still teenagers and in high school.
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The AFP raided the rural property where James Davis lived with his partners in March after the ABC provided information to police.
Mr Davis is now facing 58 federal and state charges spanning 20 years including rape, assault, animal torture, child pornography and kidnapping offences, along with several counts of using a carriage service to prepare or plan to engage in sexual activity with a person under 16.
The AFP spent more than two days scouring Davis' property at Yarrowyk for evidence and confiscated illegal weapons, ammunition, filming equipment and hard drives which were being forensically analysed.
Police now say during the raid they also discovered an IV bag containing 30 grams of morphine which they allege was stolen from a hospital.
The woman appeared before Blacktown Court House on 12 charges including possessing the schedule 8 drug.
The ABC can reveal she was registered to work as a nurse but had restrictions placed on her registration earlier this year.
The conditions included that she must not supply, check or administer any drug of addiction, or work without supervision.
The 22-year-old was granted bail this afternoon under strict conditions including not accessing the internet or going within 500 metres of children.
AFP Detective Superintendent Craig Bellis said police were continuing to investigate and asked anyone with information to come forward.
"AFP investigators have worked tirelessly to investigate this matter, and further analysis of material seized in March 2021 search warrants has resulted in these charges against a second person.
"The AFP will not rule out further charges in this matter."
The matter is due back in court in January.
Posted 30 Nov 2021 30 Nov 2021 Tue 30 Nov 2021 at 3:09am , updated 25 Mar 2022 25 Mar 2022 Fri 25 Mar 2022 at 5:30am