Perth Man Fined After Distributing False Flyers Targeting LGBTQIA+ Community
Image: Images credit Out In Perth
A Perth man has been fined $4,000 after admitting to distributing flyers containing false and offensive claims targeting members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including accusations of pedophilia and human trafficking.
Garath Mouncey, 47, appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to seven charges relating to leaving indecent or obscene articles in letterboxes between November 2025 and March 2026.
The flyers, which were distributed to homes across Perth, included allegations against LGBTQIA+ community members, with some materials containing claims of criminal behaviour that were found to be false.
One flyer featured the name and image of a Perth LGBTQIA+ community member alongside accusations including drug use, human trafficking and paedophilia.
Photos of the flyers published by Out In Perth, who broke the news of this story, showed a statement about an individual who “surfs Perth gay apps looking for drug users to poison them with a chemical the LGBQTI group calls ‘perfume’.”
The matter was reported to Western Australia Police after residents received the material. Police investigated the distribution of the flyers and identified Mouncey as responsible.
During sentencing, Magistrate Angus Hockton said the material would have caused alarm to people who received it. Mouncey was fined $4,000 and ordered to forfeit the materials connected to the offences.
Pride WA board member Gregory Helleren was among those targeted by the flyers. He previously said he was disturbed by the claims made against him, describing them as “outrageous”.
“I’ve been quite disturbed by it. Not for my on personal safety or reputation but more that this is something that is still happening all these years after gay law reform,” he said.
“The other flyers I’ve seen … the claims are outrageous but they’re plausible enough that your average person looks at it and … goes ‘maybe they do traffic drugs’.”
The case follows concerns raised by LGBTQIA+ advocates about the distribution of targeted and discriminatory material in Western Australia.
Western Australia Police encouraged people who received the flyers or believed they were depicted in the material to report the matter.
The charges against Mouncey related to the distribution of the flyers, rather than the broader claims made within the material.
The court proceedings have now concluded, with the sentencing outcome finalising the criminal matter.
The flyers have renewed calls from advocates for Western Australia to strengthen its anti-vilification laws.
Equality Australia’s legal director, Heather Corkhill, said there was a wide disparity in protections for LGBTIQ+ people across the country, with WA’s falling “well short”.
“Targeting rainbow families online, inciting violence against trans people, or threatening gay men with flyers is unacceptable – and it demands a strong, coordinated response,” she said in a statement.
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