Sydney Man Found Guilty Over Threats To Release Photos Of Neighbour’s Grindr Hookup

A 60-year-old resident of Erskineville, an inner Sydney suburb, was sentenced Tuesday, November 8, over his threats to release photos of a neighbour’s Grindr hookup.

On August 31, Shane Ustick, 60, delivered his threat in a birthday card addressed to “Grindr Slag.”

‘What Would Your Parents Say?’

Underneath he wrote, “not bad looking but a slag! What would your parents say + real estate agent say?”

Inside the card, was a threat that read, “Hey, Grindr boy we know who you are we are tired of listening to your music. After your big day … we now have some pics next time you decide to turn up the music pictures + flyers in every letterbox + every lamppost in the area.”

According to court documents, Ustick sent the threat because he wanted to stop the man, that lived in his suburb, from playing loud music during lunch with their friend. 

After looking through CCTV footage, police discovered it was Ustick who wrote the threat. 

Ustick Admitted Guilt

Ustick admitted his guilt to police, saying “that was me.”

He went on to tell police, “The reason I wrote it was because I wanted some peace and quiet … it was a very dumb thing to do but I thought it gave me a bit of control to try and stop him from turning on the music.”

The Daily Telegraph reported that Ustick told police he did not actually capture any photos of the hookup. 

He was sentenced at Newtown Local Court for threatening to distribute an intimate image without consent. 

While the victims must have felt “intense” fear, Magistrate Lisa Stapleton said that this was Ustick’s first offence and he had no previous criminal record. Stapleton explained, “This is the first time Mr Ustick has put a foot wrong in his life.”

In the end, the court found him guilty. Ustick received a 12-month conditional release order.