Canberra teen jailed for Grindr scam

A Canberra teenager has been jailed for nine months over his role in a Grindr scam that led to a man committing suicide.

The 17-year-old is the fifth person to plead guilty to a part in the crime, including a 15-year-old who avoided jail earlier this year.

The scam involved meeting men from Grindr, then threatening to accuse them of being paedophiles if they did not pay money.

His lawyer said the teenager’s motive had been to make money but he had not foreseen the effect the scam would have on other people’s lives, ABC News has reported.

The prosecutor told the court that the 17-year-old had been the most closely involved in luring victims, and that the crime was premeditated.

A statement from the mother of the victim who died was read to the court.

She said he had been happy, a successful public servant and a drag queen who was looking forward to the future.

“He must have been so distraught and in such fear,” she said.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker told the teen he had actively sought a role in the scam, and said that he tried to justify his actions by linking homosexuality with paedophilia.

“They are entirely different things, they are entirely different,” she said.

He was sentenced to nine months in jail, and will then serve a 12-month good behaviour order.