Man who allegedly exploited vulnerable woman by giving her drugs for sex is granted bail

Man who allegedly exploited vulnerable woman by giving her drugs for sex is granted bail Thomas Crossey is accused of a predatory campaign which also involved claims he arranged to have up to 25 other men pay him to sleep with her at his flat in the city Alan Erwin 15:46, 13 Apr 2026 A Belfast man who allegedly exploited a vulnerable young woman for years by providing her with drugs in exchange for sex is to be granted bail, the High Court ruled today. Thomas Crossey, 56, is accused of a predatory campaign which also involved claims he arranged to have up to 25 other men pay him to sleep with her at his flat in the city. A judge agreed to release him from custody under strict conditions based on the scale of potential delays in the ongoing investigation. Crossey, of Henderson Avenue in the north of the city, denies charges of controlling prostitution for gain, human trafficking and causing someone to engage in sexual activity. He faces further counts of false imprisonment and common assault related to the probe launched in October last year. The complainant, a 22-year-old woman addicted to cocaine and heroin, told police she had escaped from his apartment after being sexually exploited since they first met in 2021. In an account to detectives, she alleged Crossey organised taxis to bring her to his home where she was supplied with drugs in return for sex. Crown counsel Charlene Dempsey argued that in explicit phone messages he referred to the woman as a “nurse” who also injected him with substances. Crossey was said to have made her wear various outfits and perform a number of different sexual activities at meetings two or three times a month over the four-year period. “The complainant states she would stay for days at a time, being used for sex and given drugs,” the barrister submitted. With Crossey alleged to have set up an escort profile under the woman’s name, random men were said to have arrived at the flat and paid him £100 or £150 to go into the bedroom with her. It was previously contended that this happened between 20 to 25 times over the years. Ms Dempsey argued that police have viewed phone messages involving explicit sexual language, the use of taxis as a modus operandi, and references to the complainant being a “nurse” administering drugs to Crossey. At least two other women are believed to have attended the flat for similar purposes, Crossey allegedly used the racial slur “n*****” and discussed “putting her to work” in one of the messages. It was claimed his text also stated: “At least she gets on her knees and earns from punters.” Searches of the flat where the defendant says he lives alone uncovered 11 phones, bottles of nail polish, a bank card in the name of the complainant, and medical or electoral cards in the name of other unidentified females. A large kitchen knife and a hammer were said to have been found concealed under a pillow on the living room sofa, the court heard. During interviews Crossey provided a statement to deny the allegations and made counter-claims about the woman stealing from him. But opposing bail, Ms Dempsey submitted: “The complainant has been subjected to severe sexual abuse and coercive control at the hands of this applicant who has knowingly exploited her vulnerabilities. “He has engaged in predatory sexual behaviour over a number of years from when she was very young.” ‌ She accepted, however, the investigation could be held up because Crossey has not yet provided PIN codes for the seized phones. Defence barrister Sean Devine confirmed the renewed application for bail centred on concerns over the potential delays in a case where he has already spent five months in custody. His Honour Judge Gordon Kerr KC predicted it could be a further nine months before the final charges are determined. ‌ Granting bail to Crossey, the judge imposed a curfew, ban on accessing social media sites and ordered him to lodge a £2,000 cash surety. He further directed: (The defendant) is not to have any contact with any witness in the case, in particular the complainant, either directly or indirectly.” For all the latest news, visit the homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter . Article continues below