Men who posed as teens on Grindr to blackmail gays facing jail

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Two men who posed as teenagers on Grindr in order to blackmail gay men will face prison, warned a judge.

The men, Nathanael Foster and Adam Webb appeared before Gloucester Crown Court today, reports the Gloucester Citizen.

Up to £15,000 was handed over to the pair, the court heard.

Janine Wood, prosecuting, said one victim went to police whilst the pair attempted to blackmail him for £10,000. Wood noted that they suggested they would “forget” the men’s “interests”, if they paid up.

They pretended to be a 15-year-old boy to lure the men, with whom they chatted on Grindr before meeting up.

Their defence counsel Matthew Harbinson, said the pair had been more interested in posing as underage, in order to video the acts. He said they had not intended to blackmail them for money in the first instance.

Both Foster and Webb admitted two counts of blackmail in May.

The men will be sentenced on 21 August, and Judge Jamie Tabor QC said they will face jail.