Police in Hertfordshire, UK, have been ordered to reopen an investigation into the death of Scott Gough, a gay man who died by suicide after allegedly being targeted and blackmailed by a gang on dating app Grindr.

56-year-old Scott Gough died after a gang of six men, who were described as “white and in their mid 20s”, allegedly showed up at his house in Chandlers Cross, Hertfordshire, on March 28, 2024. The group aggressively knocked at the door and demanded Gough hand over the keys of his Range Rover.

At the time of this incident, Gough was not at home. However, his partner, Cameron Tewson, witnessed the episode and subsequently called the police. Before fleeing the scene, the gang left a note for Gough that read “To the owner of the white Range Rover… I think it’s in your best interest to give me a call”, followed by a phone number.

The following day, Tewson found Gough dead at home, with a note containing his will. The coroner said the cause of death was asphyxiation. Tewson told authorities he believed Gough might have been blackmailed on Grindr.

The Hertfordshire Police opened an investigation, but later dismissed the case as a sudden death rather than a potential crime. They closed the investigation despite having identified suspects and linking the phone number found in the ransom note to other cases involving people who had been allegedly blackmailed on Grindr. No arrests were made.

Cameron Tewson accused the police of homophobia in the investigation and lodged a complaint with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and the Professional Standards Department (PSD), saying the officers’ attitude towards him and his deceased partner had completely changed after he mentioned the app Grindr.

According to the BBC, in a recently released report, the Professional Standards Department (PSD) found failures in the investigation of Gough’s death. In a 55-page document, the department stated that the death had not been properly investigated as potential blackmail, as there was “sufficient suspicion” to record a crime of blackmail.

The report also highlighted how police “missed opportunities” to gather evidence, such as phone records and interviews with the potential suspects they had identified. Records show that a police officer from the Child Online Safety Team (COST) visited these suspects following a separate report of blackmail.

The victim in this case told police that the gang had recorded him, however the officers who visited them did not search or examine their phones, nor did they treat the group as potential offenders, instead framing the visit as an “informal intervention to stop the group from targeting anyone else” and to “provide stern words of advice”.

The Professional Standards Report told police to reopen the investigation, recommending an independent officer from the force should get involved. Despite this, Tewson’s complaint of homophobia was not upheld.

There have been multiple cases of people targeted and blackmailed on Grindr, with victims advising people to be extra cautious while using the app.

If you have been affected by this story or are looking to reach out to someone for support, advice or just to talk, there are numerous services available for LGBTQ+ people, listed below, and many offer instant messaging support.

Samaritans
National LGBT+ Helpline
The Switchboard
Dublin Lesbian Line
Belong To
TENI
Aware
Pieta House
Jigsaw
Mental Health Ireland
Garda Confidential Line