Two Sydney men have been sentenced to more than six years for robbing five men they arranged to meet through the dating appGrindr.
The convictions come amid a spate of alleged attacks on gay and bisexual men after being lured on dating apps such as Grindr across several states and territories in Australiain the past year.
Andrew James Tanswell, 41, was this week sentenced to prison for six years and eight months, with a non-parole period of five years, and George Phoenix Leilua, 37, was sentenced to six years and two months with a non-parole period of four years. The pair were convicted over five robberies of men in 2023.
In sentencing, the New South Wales district court judge Andrew Colefax found the two men had set up Grindr accounts and arranged to meet men under false pretences.
In the first incident, on 29 May 2023, Tanswell arranged to meet the 57-year-old victim at his Guildford home, and after “trickery” the court found Tanswell distracted the victim while allowing Leilua into the house.
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After threats were made by both men, the men stole the victim’s wallet and mobile phone. They made him disclose his password and login to his banking app, after which the pair withdrew and split $2,000.
The second incident, on the same day, targeted a 60-year-old Auburn man. The pair used a similar ploy to enter the home. They stole more than $15,000 from his bank account.
In a third incident, on 4 June 2023, they robbed a 66-year-old Granville man of his mobile phone, $160 in cash, various identity documents and his Medicare card. The victim received injuries to his hands, arms and legs during the attack.
The fourth attack on 12 June 2023 targeted a 27-year-old Guildford man, following a similar pattern. The man resisted giving his phone, and Leilua threatened him with a kitchen knife. He handed over his phone and passcodes to banking apps, and $128 was transferred out of his account.
The fifth targeted a 45-year-old Liverpool man, who was forced to hand over two mobile phones and had $5,000 transferred out of his account.
Leilua was arrested on 15 June 2023, and Tanswell arrested one day later. Both men pleaded guilty.
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Colefax said each of the victims had suffered “significant psychological consequences” as a result of the attacks.
Earlier this month,the ABC reportedthat the number of arrests in Victoria where fake profiles on dating apps lured gay men who were then robbed had reached 35, up from 13 late last year.
Grindr has shown in-app alerts warning users about attacks in the past few months.
A spokesperson for Grindr said bad actors may attempt to misuse its services and put users at risk, similar to any service, but the company works hard to ensure “a safe and authentic environment free of harmful and fake accounts”.
The company said that in periods of increased threats to users, it partners with local law enforcement, government agencies and LGBTQ+ organisations to deliver in-app warning alerts.