A Canberra teenager who blackmailed men he met on the social media app Grindr has avoided being sent to prison.

The 16 year old, who was 15 at the time of the offences, worked with three friends to extort money from men they met through the popular dating app. Due to his age the boy can not be named.

The teenager created a profile on the app, and then met his victim in public. He then revealed his true age and threatened to expose the man as a sex offender unless he paid him money.

The four young men contacted several men and made additional threats over a period of several weeks. One of the cases has been linked to a victim’s suicide.

The Canberra Times has reported that the Chief Magistrate of the Children’s Court, Lorraine Walker, has spared the boy from going to prison, imposing a deferred sentence.

The magistrate highlighted the boy’s remorse over his actions and his tough upbringing.

All four young men who were charged over the offences have pleaded guilty. One teenager was sentenced to 19 months jail, with six months to be served full time. One was handed a four-month suspended term. The fourth, who is 18, will be sentenced at a later date.

OIP Staff

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