16-year-old who lured man into violent trap with fake Grindr profile spared jail
A 16-year-old boy dodged a prison sentence after he lured a man to a park on Grindr to rob him. (Envato Elements)
A 16-year-old boy who tried to rob a man he met through a fake Grindr profile has avoided a prison sentence.
The boy, from Dublin, set up a profile on Grindr with his own picture but a fake name, and lied that he was 19 years old.
He started chatting to a man in his mid-20s, originally from Brazil but living in Dublin, on 28 June, 2020. Later that day, the boy met his victim in a park in Dundrum, according to BreakingNews.ie.
They walked into a wooded area together, where the boy demanded the man empty his pockets. Two other boys approached and punched the man in the face and put him in a headlock.
The assailants fled the scene when the victim “screamed for help”. The man subsequently flagged down a passing car for help and police were called.
The man did not sustain any injuries in the attack and none of his possessions were taken. Two weeks later, the teenage boy responsible for the crime was identified and arrested. He admitted to his involvement when interviewed by police.
Teenager pleaded guilty to Grindr attack
The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery of the man at Dublin Children’s Court.
A probation report found the the boy, who has no previous criminal convictions, was unlikely to reoffend and recommended that he not be jailed for the crime.
The boy’s solicitor told Judge Brendan Toale that he had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and had become addicted to cannabis in the lead-up to the attack.
He also noted that the boy had been facing difficulties in his home life and had lost structure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The solicitor said the boy regretted his involvement in the attack and he wanted to apologise for what he had done.
The boy was sentenced to 12 months’ supervised probation, with the judge noting that the crime was complex and required planning.
Judge Toale also said the incident must have had a serious impact on the victim. The man involved declined the chance to submit a victim impact statement.
