SA Youth Accused Of Gay Bashing Attack Gets Suspended Sentence
Image: Judge Liesl Chapman called the accused, who pleaded guilty to the vicious attack on an elderly man, a "remarkable" young man.
Charlie Michael Edward Caire, the perpetrator of a sickening attack on an elderly South Australian man, who he had lured on Grindr, has been given little more than a slap on the wrists this week. Caire will walk free from prison after district court judge Liesl Chapman handed the 21-year-old a suspended sentence.
Warning: The story has details that some readers may find distressing.
The attack, which Star Observer reported last month, saw the victim lured through a fake Grindr account set up by Caire. The elderly man was taken to a Murray Bridge house and then tortured by what was described as a ‘horrifying array of weaponry’ including having a gas lighter held to his head, being probed with a taser, electric drill, his arm sliced with a knife and his fingers placed between secateurs.
Victim Thought He Would Die
The victim was also injected with a needle that he was made to believe contained AIDS, and was told “there’d be consequences” if he did not hand over $5,000 in cash.
Chapman described the frenzied attack as having “caused the victim to bleed on the mattress and floor.”
“The victim has provided a victim impact statement where he describes experiencing the most sustained and intense period of physical pain and fear of those hours of imprisonment.”
Chapman went on to add that the victim was so scared, he thought he might die.
Caire, who was high on methamphetamine at the time and had not slept in six weeks, alleged that the victim was believed to have sexually assaulted his friends’ younger brother. This allegation has not been brought to the police or reported.
Chapman vehemently described it as “vigilante behaviour” adding that this “does not bring about justice, rather it brings about the opposite, it undermines the criminal justice system.”
In the months before the attack Caire, had experienced the death of his father, loss of his job, and the breakdown of a long-term relationship, the judge noted.
Judge Calls Accused ‘Remarkable’ Young Man
Despite Caire having plead guilty to numerous offences, including false imprisonment, aggravated blackmail and aggravated assault, Chapman weighed up what was described as ‘great adversity’ in his life when handing down just five-years-and-six-months in prison with a non-parole period of two years and 10 months, backdated to when Caire was first taken into custody, in February 2020.
“You have shown courage, strength and resilience during a childhood which no child should have to endure,” said Chapman, while describing the accused as a “remarkable” young man.
“You started training to become a youth worker because you wanted to protect children. Despite all the adversity in your life, you were managing very well, you were doing more than keeping your head above water, you were making positive contributions to the community and were taking positive steps along a clearly defined path.”
Perhaps if the charges laid against Caire in the first instance were upgraded or of greater severity, then he might have not gotten away so lightly. Chapman pointed out, this was the accused’s first offence, and he stood a better chance of being rehabilitated within the community whilst under supervision. Caire’s lawyers had not asked for a suspended sentence.
Currently in custody at Mount Gambier Prison, Caire is to be released on Wednesday next week, when he will sign a three-year good behaviour bond at the District Court in Adelaide.
If you feel distressed reading the story, you can reach out to support services.
For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14
For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
HARD TO BELIEVE-A South Australian torture of a homosexual gets less legal consequences than throwing an egg at the prime minister that didn’t even break.
Hostages,Blow torches(lighter),bolt cutters(secatuers),electric drills,traders,knife,syringe for $5000 profit to save the children?
Wow, I didn’t know the snowtown system cares.
How come Judge Liesl Chapman of South Australia is allowed to give a suspended sentence to Charlie Claire after the premeditated torture of another human being, because he has had a hard life and was high on drugs. The judiciary should not be allowed to wave away things like this.
Absolutely appalling
This whole article wreaks of injustice for the victim! The poor perpetrator!, what hard life he’s had! RUBBISH! I had a much harder upbringing than this man and I’ve managed to make nearly 54 years old without ever having touched a hard drug that was not prescribed by a doctor and I’ve certainly never lured anyone to torture them through the use of a gay OR straight dating website. The fact that this man was on drugs at the time the offence was committed makes the crime all the more heinous! It’s yet another crime to add to the long list of those undertaken against the victim, purely because of his sexuality and it STINKS! I know it’s the government make the laws, but this judge had the power to give this defendant a much harsher penalty than the one he received and deserved! Why does the justice system keep making excuses for people who commit crimes because they were on drugs at the time? THAT fact in itself, as I’ve already mentioned, is a crime, and in my opinion should be dealt with by an even harsher sentence! Too often, minority groups in our community, whether it be because of their sexuality, race, religion whatever. end up being the victims of violent crimes which leave many of them with life long psychological and physiological scars. It’t time to let our justice system know that it’s not OK and we will NOT tolerate it any longer! I borrow, if I may, the case of George Floyd in the United States recently. Did the people just sit back and say “oh yes, it was terrible, it was wrong, it shouldn’t happen”, and let that poor mans death pass in vain? NO! They got off of their backsides and protested in the streets and let the justice system know that the people are fed up to the hind teeth with the poor excuse that both they, and WE, have as a justice system. In this case, it was a gay hate crime. We all know that. It was freely published. We, the members of the gay community talk about Pride in our community. Well where’s the pride now that this poor gentleman has been violently attacked? Are we Proud to stand and say “it was terrible, it was wrong etc” and let what happened to this poor man, a member of our own, pass in vain? Are we going to keep on letting it happen to other members of our community and other minority groups without so much as raising an eyebrow? I, for one, WILL NOT, and that is why I have published this letter. Mr Morrison, State Premiers, WE WILL NOT TOLERATE INJUSTICE ANY LONGER!
I find this outcome an absolute travesty of Justice. To suggest that the perpetrator was a ‘remarkable young man’ is at the top end of disgusting. “First Offenders” need to be sentenced in line with the crimes committed, not handed a free pass to do it all again because the Judge thought he was a ‘remarkable young man’. The Community has the right to feel displeased and angry that such a sustained Criminal Attack has been dismissed with virtual impunity. ‘Just a minute young man, you can do it all again.’