Alleged Child Sex Offender Placed Under Citizen’s Arrest By Grindr Users

Alleged Child Sex Offender Placed Under Citizen’s Arrest By Grindr Users

An alleged child sex offender is today behind bars after a man in Perth lured 61-year-old Russ Alan Portelli to a park by posing as a 14-year-old boy on Grindr.

After having exchanged sexually explicit messages, the alleged offender was met on Thursday morning at a park in Kelmscott in South-Eastern Perth, where he was placed under citizen’s arrest, according to WA Police.

It is understood the man who lured Portelli to the park is believed to be in his 20s and brought a friend to the meeting. When the offender arrived, they called the policePortelli was then charged by Armadale Detectives with intent to procure a person believed to be under 16 years for sexual activity.

Speaking with Channel 9 News the two men said of their plan, “The way we look at it is, if it wasn’t us it could actually be a 14-year-old person meeting that adult so, I’d rather it be us than some innocent kid.”

 Western Australia Police in light of the citizen’s arrest, which is entirely legal under WA State Law, have warned that they “should be exercised with caution.”

“If all the required circumstances are not met, the member of the public could find themselves liable to prosecution of a serious offence,” a spokesperson for WA Police said.

“We accept that people sometimes make decisions on the spur of the moment and sometimes the decision to pursue or apprehend a suspect may be the right decision, dependent on the circumstances and their own physical capabilities.

“But — we ask the public to always consider their personal safety above everything else and if an offender is running away and you don’t know if they are carrying a weapon, not pursuing may well prove to be the best possible outcome.”

After being denied bail, the alleged offender is due to appear in Armadale Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, November 3.

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One response to “Alleged Child Sex Offender Placed Under Citizen’s Arrest By Grindr Users”

  1. Why is this person’s photo not published he’s a rapust as well as a wife beater. He cracked a bookcase over his pregnant girlfriends head. Gave her black eyes and bruise. Why is the media protecting this vile predetor. Publish a real photo of him for all the world to see what kind of animal is not on the police radar. Well done to those guys that caught him
    They did a job that the police could not do. Let his other crimes against women and humanity come to the for front.