Teenager who blackmailed a man on Grindr will be sentenced next month
Joseph Cordiner used the gay hook-up app to threaten and blackmail
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
A teenager who blackmailed a man on Grindr will be sentenced next month.
Joseph Cordiner, 19, from Inverurie in Scotland, had been speaking to the victim on the gay hook-up app and received a photograph of the victim in his underwear after sharing an image of genitals with him.
Cordiner then threatened the man by saying he would send the image to his boss and the victim paid him £300 and then a further £400 after the teenager made the threat.
Depute Fiscal Lynne MacVicar told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “On the evening of August 30, 2018, the complainer was within his home address browsing the dating site and engaged in conversation with the accused.
“During the online conversation, picture messages were exchanged, which included the accused sending a picture of male genitalia to the complainer, who in turn sent the accused a picture of himself in his underwear.
“On receiving the picture message, the accused sent the complainer a message stating he knew who he was, knew where the complainer worked and that he would send pictures to the complainer’s manager if the complainer did not agree to pay the accused a sum of money.”
MacVicar added: “The accused then told the complainer to drive to the public footpath near Monument View in Inverurie and to leave £300 in a bag, take an image of the money being dropped off and contact the accused once he’d left.
“The complainer deposited the money as the accused had instructed.
“The complainer was then contacted on September 1 2018 by the accused, again demanding more money.
“The complainer at that time said he was unable to drive to Inverurie as he had been drinking and on September 2 the accused made contact again and reiterated the same threats to contact the complainer’s manager were money not deposited.
“This caused the complainer to again attend at the locus and leave the sum of £400.”
Despite the victim blocking Cordiner’s account, the 19 year old made a new one and ‘repeatedly’ demanded money, to which the victim agreed ‘reluctantly’.
It was after Cordiner demanded a ‘final instalment’ of £500, the victim called the police, the Mirror reported.
A mobile number was found to be connected to one of the online accounts and it was linked to Cordiner.
He pleaded guilty to extortion and attempted extortion. He is set to be sentenced next month.