Nothing Interesting Ever Happens in the Suburbs

Ten years ago in the 'Voir: 'Vampire' prostitute bizarre in life and death

'To his neighbours Chartres-Abbott, 28, who was gunned down in a daylight ambush last Wednesday, was a polite young man. He lived quietly with his girlfriend in suburban Reservoir, his only eccentricity a thick black overcoat, which he wore even in summer. But by night Chartres-Abbott was a male prostitute, who allegedly told a client he was a vampire, older than the city of Melbourne, who drank blood to survive. The secret life of Chartres-Abbott began to unravel late last month during a sensational court trial, in which he was accused of raping and attacking a client.  The county court heard the alleged victim, a 30-year-old woman, was found in a foetal position in the shower cubicle of a room in South Yarra's Hotel Saville on August 17 last year. The woman told the jury that, days before she was attacked, Chartres-Abbott had told her he was a vampire. He was said to specialise in sadomasochistic sex and supposedly carried a black bag of sex toys including a dildo, whip, ropes, condoms and handcuffs. Chartres-Abbott's lawyer Alan Hands was scathing, claiming the prosecution's case was a story worthy of Bram Stoker and a mystery worthy of Agatha Christie. But the defence was to make an equally startling claim. Mr Hands told the jury the victim and a friend were grooming Chartres-Abbott to appear in a "snuff movie" - a pornographic film in which the actors are actually murdered. He alleged the victim had gone cold on the idea of recruiting Chartres-Abbott because she had developed an affection for him. Mr Hands said the woman was attacked after Chartres-Abbott left the hotel about 5am. The victim said she had hired Chartres-Abbott from Cloud Nine Escorts in Balwyn, a company that employs about 30 male and female prostitutes, because she felt "horny".