A MAN accused of controlling prostitutes reportedly paid a friend to drive the sex workers to customer appointments, a court has heard.
Oliver Jovanovic is facing trial at Bournemouth Crown Court alongside his cousin for arranging the travel of a person with a view to exploit.
Jovanovic is also accused of controlling prostitution for gain, but both men deny the charges.
The court heard the defendant moved to the UK from Serbia at eight years old and was unable to have a formal education due to his lack of citizenship until the age of 16.
He moved to Bournemouth from Liverpool in 2012 and married his wife four years later.
Jovanovic told the court in evidence he has been friends with a sex worker for around five years, having previously worked together.
The pair lost contact until the defendant invited her to move to Bournemouth, where she brought two other prostitutes with her.
While examining their devices in 2022, police officers found selfie photos of the defendant in bed with one of the prostitutes in which he had an intimate relationship with, unbeknown to his wife.
The court heard in March 2022 the defendant met a man, who managed two of his own sex workers, in a strip club in Bournemouth.
It was said the defendant, who was disqualified from driving at the time, employed the man to drive him, his wife and the sex workers around.
It was later discovered this man managed two of his own sex workers who were also his wife and girlfriend.
Prosecutor, Mr Nick Tucker asked the defendant during evidence on July 17: “Did he [the man] think he would be driving women to outcalls [prostitute appointments] for you?”
The defendant replied “yes” but that this was not the case.
He added he had “no idea” where the man got the idea from that he was being employed to drive sex workers for the defendant.
The court heard Jovanovic had lent his car to the man and exchanged the ownership of the vehicle.
On April 25, 2022, the man disappeared with the defendant’s vehicle and his location is currently unknown to police.
Oliver Jovanovic, 31 and of Suffolk Road in Bournemouth, and Sebastian Jacimovic, 29 and of Garway in Liverpool, deny the charges.
The trial continues.
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