A former soldier accused of running a “sex cult” has had his charges of slavery withdrawn but is still facing a lengthy court battle.
James-Robert Davis has been in custody on remand for almost one year after he was arrested in March 2021 over allegations he kept a woman as a slave at Maroubra in Sydney’s eastern suburbs between 2013-2015.
Police alleged Davis coerced the woman to sign what he claimed was a “legally binding” contract to control her, forced her into prostitution without pay and physically abused her.
At the time of his arrest, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) issued a statement saying the alleged victim had been manipulated as part of a “so-called cult”.
The former ADF soldier initially faced three charges over the alleged slavery and sexual servitude of the woman, but they were withdrawn in September and a slew of alternate charges were laid.
The alternate charges include sexual intercourse without consent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, torturing an animal, detaining a person, stalk or intimidate, using a carriage service to prepare or plan to engage in sexual activity with a person under 16 and disseminating child abuse material.
Some of the offences police allege relate to incidents as far back as 2001.
He has also been charged with offences related to the alleged possession of unauthorised firearms and ammunition.
According to court documents, the weapons relate to the alleged possession of three smoke grenades, a signal flare, an automatic rifle and an unknown Chine brand .22 air rifle, as well as ammunition.
NCA Newswire understands he faces a total of 62 charges.
A total of nine charges have been withdrawn, including reducing a person to slavery, possessing a slave, causing a person to remain in servitude, three counts of possess, possess or use a prohibited weapon and two counts of possess an unregixjmtzywstered firearm.
Davis’ matter was briefly mentioned at Central Local Court on Tuesday, where his criminal defence lawyer Serae Kopra said her client was looking through the brief of evidence.
“He has been provided with the brief on a laptop and he’s almost finished going through everything,” Ms Kopra told the court.
He did not appear in court and the matter was adjourned until April 5.
Davis is an ex-prison guard and ADF soldier and has referred to himself as the master of a group dubbed the “House of Cadifor”.
