UPDATE Police investigate alleged homophobic assaults

Updated at 3.35pm, Friday 26 July 2024

ACT Policing is investigating a third incident where a man was allegedly assaulted by a group after he was lured to a location using a dating app.

About 4am on Saturday (20 July 2024), a man arrived at an address on Investigator Street in Red Hill where he was allegedly assaulted by a group of 5-8 people wearing face coverings.

This is the second alleged assault involving a group on the same night at the same location in Red Hill. Police believe all three alleged assaults are linked.

ACT Policing takes incidents such as these very seriously and urge anyone who may have information about these incidents, or other similar incidents, to contact police on 131 444.

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ACT Policing is investigating two assaults that are believed to be targeted attacks by a group of men after their victims were lured to locations using a dating app.

On Tuesday morning last week (16 July 2024), police received a report from a man who had attended a residence on Ada Norris Avenue, Denman Prospect to meet a person he’d connected with on a dating app earlier that morning. Outside the residence, he was approached by four people who allegedly assaulted him, however he was able to leave the scene on his motorbike soon after.

Police believe his helmet and gloves were stolen by the alleged offenders. The man did not require hospitalisation, and provided a statement to police.

A second incident occurred at about 2.30am on Saturday (20 July 2024) after a man had agreed to meet another man at a residence on Investigator Street, Red Hill using the same dating app.

Shortly after the man arrived at the residence, a group of 7-8 men appeared and allegedly began assaulting him. During the assault, the group allegedly shouted homophobic slurs at the victim, as well as demanding money and attempting to take his wallet and keys.

The man was able to escape, but was allegedly pursued on foot by the group, who continued the assault in front of another residence on Investigator Street, before the man was able to fight the group off on Discovery Street.

Following the incident, the group also allegedly damaged the man’s car.

About 1pm on Saturday, 20 July 2024, the man presented to hospital for treatment on injures sustained during the assault, and reported the matter to police.

Police are considering whether the same alleged offenders are involved in both incidents.

Police are also urging people who are meeting face-to-face for the first time via dating apps to meet in a public place, such as a caf, restaurant, or shopping centre.

We would encourage anyone who has information about these incidents in Denman Prospect and Red Hill, or any other similar incidents where people may have been targeted due to their sexual orientation, to come forward.

Police would especially like to speak to anyone who lives in the area of Ada Norris Avenue, Denman Prospect or Investigator and Discovery streets, Red Hill who may have witnessed the incidents, or who may have CCTV footage that captured the incidents.

Anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers, quoting reference 7800123 (Denman Prospect) or 7803814 (Red Hill).