Sex worker's boyfriend 'demanded money' with baseball bat

Lucian Stetco loaned "client" Brett Gilbert the money to pay his girlfriend for sex, but Gilbert could not pay back the debt, alleged to amount to $15,000. Photo / 123RF

A driver for a "high-class" Melbourne prostitute allegedly lent another man A$15,000 to have sex with her but then beat him with a baseball bat when he didn't repay the cash.

Lucian Stetco, 27, broke into Brett Gilbert's house at Gisborne in October, beating him with an aluminium baseball bat, prosecutors say.

"I'm not going to hit you in the head; dead men don't pay their debts," Stetco allegedly told Gilbert.

The Caroline Springs man was the driver for - and in a sexual relationship with - a woman who worked for High Class Escorts, Melbourne Magistrates Court was told on Friday.

According to its website, the business charges between $400 and $1200 for an hour with one of its escorts.

On October 15, Stetco allegedly arrived at Gilbert's house with an item wrapped in a towel, which he later revealed to be a baseball bat.

He allegedly said: "I hear you've been seeing girls again" before hitting him with the bat and smashing some of his furniture.

Gilbert then allegedly gave Stetco A$2000.

The court was told Gilbert was afraid of a "risk of reprisal" and was "extremely distraught" with extreme bruising, difficulty walking, and the possibility of septicaemia or even a leg amputation.

Stetco, who is an Australian-Romanian dual national, has surrendered his passport.

Magistrate Fiona Hayes released Stetco on bail, noting he'd been in the community for five months since the alleged incident without issue.

She said he'd only been taken into custody over the past few days in connection with other matters.

Stetco has been charged with trespass and assault with an offensive weapon, intentionally causing injury and intentionally causing serious injury.

He is due back in court on May 30 for a committal case conference.