How has a “thoroughly nasty, very unpleasant” sex offender has just vanished from Ireland? 

David Archer is originally from Scotland but is thought to have moved to Ireland back in 2023. 

Not so long ago, he was living the high life in London, earning millions from brothels staffed by trafficked women. 

It was only in 2017 that his life of crime caught up with him. 

“He owned and controlled five very lucrative brothels across central London," Irish Independent Crime Correspondent Paul Williams told The Pat Kenny Show.  

“He was eventually caught by the police in 2016, 2017; he pled guilty to two counts of living off immoral earnings - basically, prostitution. 

“Also, of forcing young women who he trafficked into Britain from outside the EU, particularly places like Brazil.” 

As well as sex trafficking, Archer was also convicted of sexually assaulting women and forcing them to pose for explicit images. 

“To put it mildly, he is a thoroughly nasty, very unpleasant person,” Mr Williams said. 

Move to Ireland

Although sentenced to 13 years, he was released after six for good behaviour and it was then that he decided to make a new life for himself in Dublin. 

“This time last year, he turned up here in Ireland,” Mr Williams said. 

“He basically rented a property on D’Olier Street in Dublin and rented it using false documentation… and he started using it for an Airbnb and advertising it for tourists - backpackers and people like that coming to Dublin. 

“They couldn’t believe the bargain they were getting to come and stay in Dublin city centre.” 

Despite the low price, a lot of guests did not enjoy staying with Archer and several women left reviews saying they found him a very “creepy” character. 

Some of them even felt so uncomfortable they packed their bags and left in the middle of the night. 

At the same time, Archer was working as a tradesman under a false name, again offering his service at below market rates. 

One couple who invited him over to do some work for him immediately found him “strange”. 

“He arrived on foot and he said his van had been stolen,” Mr Williams said. 

“He was prepared to give them €70 an hour and the wife did not feel comfortable from the very moment she met him and she was glad that her husband was with her at the time.” 

Discovery

When they went to pay him, he asked for cash but the pair told him they were only prepared to send him a bank transfer. 

Reluctantly, he told them, “‘Okay, I’m Geoff but here’s my partner’s bank details, his name is David Archer.’ 

“She just didn’t feel right about it, this woman, [and] she went and Googled his name and found the story we did about him in the Irish Independent last year and found this notorious convicted sex trafficker, brothel boss was [in her] house.” 

Main image: David Archer. Picture by: Metropolitan Police.