Six teenagers charged over a spate of alleged homophobic assaults in Perth in September 2024 have been given a raft of new charges.
The boys allegedly used dating app Grindr to lure four men to meetings where they were assaulted and robbed. The alleged assaults occurred in Hamilton hill and South Lake.
In Perth Children’s Court on Thursday police shared that the teens were collectively charged with 52 offences including unlawful detainment, unlawful wounding, assault occasioning bodily harm, stealing in circumstances of aggravation and unlawful assault.
Four of the teenagers are currently on bail, while two have been remanded in custody. Their ages range from 15 to 18 years of age. It is expected that the case will go to trial in November and take two weeks to be heard.
It is alleged that some of the attacks were filmed and then uploaded to social media websites. Police have told the court that it will take some time for experts to analyse all the footage on the boys devices.
WAtoday have reported that the four victims have been given special witness treatment which is usually only given to the victims of sexual assault. Children’s Court President Hylton Quail said he would grant the status given the nature of the charges.
