Men lured to park by fake accounts on Grindr before being ambushed, tied up and beaten
Three men have now been sentenced to prison
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
A gang of teenagers lured gay men to a park before humiliating them and robbing them in reported homophobic attacks.
Four victims were reportedly lured to Bordesley Green, in Birmingham, by fake profiles on Grindr who turned out to be teens who videoed the assault.
Three victims were reportedly bound hand and foot. Two were also urinated on while one of them had socks stuffed into his mouth and was forced to walk across dog excrement as part of the humiliation.
According to Birmingham Live, one victim was beaten and robbed because he was a ‘white man responsible for attacks on Muslims in New Zealand’.
Mohammed Khan and Mohammed Umar reportedly had previously admitted conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to commit burglary.
Qaasim Ahmad was found guilty of the same charges and also conspiracy to falsely imprison.
Both Khan and Ahmad were sentenced to 13 years and four months detention, while Umar received a sentence on 11 years and three months.
In passing sentence at Birmingham Crown Court, Judge Heidi Kubic QC said: “You deliberately degraded and humiliated your victims.
“They had the courage to come forward and publicise their ordeal
“I am quite satisfied all four men were targeted because they were gay men. You had set up fake Grindr accounts to lure them to secluded areas.
“You subjected your victims to serious physical assaults and you threatened them with various weapons, including a large hunting knife, a screw driver and you used a metal bar to inflict injuries.
“The victims were sufficiently terrified to give you what they wanted, their car keys, phones, wallets, bank cards and pin numbers.
“You regularly booked hotel rooms where you could meet up and enjoy the spoils of your offending.
“The impact of the offending on each of the victims is long lasting and serious indeed. It will remain with them for the rest of their lives.”