Dating app match allegedly drugged, raped and filmed by two men

Two men have been charged with rape after they allegedly drugged a woman one of them met on a dating app and filmed her being assaulted while unconscious.

Police believe Rhys David Scerri, 39, of Bacchus Marsh, and Leigh Matthew Lincoln, 46, of Melton South, could have more victims, a court has heard.

Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday heard Victoria Police were speaking to several women who allege they were also drugged, assaulted and filmed without consent by the pair.

Police are calling for other women who believe they may be victims to come forward and make statements.

Detective sergeant Brett Robinson claimed in court that messages between Mr Scerri and Mr Lincoln showed they discussed “a debt that could be repaid by the sexual act”.

They discussed “blowing her a** out” with the drug GHB, which meant causing the victim to fall unconscious, he alleged.

Police allege the rape was caught on video, with Mr Lincoln allegedly sitting by the end of the bed while Scerri allegedly assaulted the woman in October last year.

“They are both complicit to the act,” Sergeant Robinson said.

“There’s a number of items that we’ve received from (seized) devices, indicating that there is a substantial amount of further possible victims that need to be spoken to, other acts and other victims in amongst those photos and videos.”

Mr Lincoln was denied bail on Tuesday.

His mother Thelma Lincoln had joined the online hearing and offered to support him in stable accommodation, and the court heard she would pay for counselling if he was released on bail.

His lawyer James McKenzie said there was no evidence in the video Mr Lincoln had committed a sexual assault and the charges were based on “complicity”.

“There is a second male present who the prosecution say is the (bail) applicant,” he said.

He said the second male seemed to have consumed drugs and was holding a glass pipe.

“He is physically present but mentally somewhere else,” Mr McKenzie said.

Sergeant Robinson asked Magistrate Jelena Popovic to refuse bail because women held serious concerns for their safety and believed they would be “threatened and intimidated” out of providing statements.

One woman allegedly moved interstate to hide from the pair.

Magistrate Popovic said the woman in the alleged incident that resulted in charges had consensual sex with Mr Scerri but this allegedly became “something substantially different”.

The men have each been charged with rape, sexual touching and assault of an unconscious person.

They will next appear in court on January 28.

Sexual crime squad detectives arrested the two men as part of an extensive probe into multiple sexual assaults in the Melton area over the past 12 months.

A police spokeswoman said the matter was reported after a witness became aware the alleged incident had been recorded.

Police raided a home and seized electronic and storage devices, which have been the subject of a significant investigation by both the sexual crimes and cybercrime squads.

Police have urged anyone with knowledge of sexual assaults in the Melton area over the past 12 months to come forward.

Anyone with information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

jack.paynter@news.com.au