A 24-year-old man from Dublin pleaded guilty to charges related to using Grindr to target and rob three men. He was remanded in custody, with the judge saying he will certainly face a prison sentence.

As reported by the Irish Independent, Michael Quinn, from Coolock, Dublin 15, appeared before Dundalk Circuit Court, where he entered a guilty plea in relation to offending that took place in Dundalk in June and July 2023. Quinn was arrested in July 2023 and charged with two counts of robbery and one attempted robbery.

At the time, the defendant lived with his girlfriend at an address in Muirhevnamór. The Dublin man allegedly used Grindr to arrange meetings with men, whom he then attacked and robbed.

Speaking at the hearing, Detective Sergeant Mick Sheridan gave an account of separate incidents involving three victims targeted by Quinn. According to the detective, one victim arranged a meeting through Grindr with a person named “James”, who would come to his house on June 24.

After “James” arrived, the pair moved to the victim’s bedroom, where Quinn is reported to have “produced a knife” and threatened the victim to get his bank card. The man was then instructed to get in his own car, where the accused allegedly drove him to an ATM to make a withdrawal. The victim is said to have “jumped out and raised the alarm” before the accused allegedly drove off, stealing the man’s two mobile phones, bank card and wallet, in addition to the car.

The court then heard about another incident involving a second victim, which took place on July 18. Quinn allegedly used Grindr to meet another target in an alley in the town and rob him. It was claimed that Quinn once again “produced a knife and attacked the injured party,” putting him in a headlock and demanding his phone.

The victim suffered a cut on his face and was followed by the assailant, who threatened him, saying: “You’re dead”. The injured party was able to escape and notify Gardaí, and CCTV footage of the incident was obtained.

A third man reported that he met Quinn through Grindr on July 20. The suspect is said to have gotten into the victim’s car, and once at a cul-de-sac, he “pulled out a knife and demanded cash and bank cards”. The victim managed to undo his seatbelt and began shouting for help, at which point the assailant got out of the car and walked away.

During the hearing, the Dublin man pleaded guilty to targeting these men through Grindr, including robbing the first victim of an iPhone, mobile phone, driving licence and bank cards, and falsely imprisoning him. Moreover, he plead guilty to assaulting the second victim causing him harm and robbing the third victim of €60 cash and a Revolut card.

Although none of the injured parties were present at the hearing, the court also heard their Victim Impact Statements. In the document, the first victim described not being able to sleep or eat for months after the event, in addition to having difficulties in dating. He said he couldn’t go out of the room for weeks. “I don’t think I will ever get over this,” he wrote. The man also said that all financial losses resulting from the incident, including the car which was found crashed, came out of his own pocket.

The second victim similarly recounted how he became completely isolated in his room, and altogether stopped going down Avenue Road, where the incident took place. He also described being unable to go out and have fun and being nervous about meeting new people.

The third man wrote, “It’s hard to describe how deeply it affected me. When he produced the knife everything changed, and my life was turned upside down.

“Every breath felt like my last. I didn’t know if I would make it out alive. I never experienced anything like it before. It has left wounds deeper than anyone can see.

“I live with constant anxiety. Ordinary things now fill me with dread. I am ashamed and embarrassed. I feel I will never be able to stop looking over my shoulder. It’s hard to trust people.”

Michael Quinn had previous convictions in Ireland and England, including assault, assault causing harm, production of an article, burglary, theft, robbery and possession of cannabis.

After the Dublin man pleaded guilty to robbing the men he met through Grindr, Judge Dara Hayes remanded him in custody to January 16 for a probation report. The judge added that the defendant certainly faces a prison sentence.