The chilling case of three young men who lured and assaulted victims they met on Grindr has sparked outrage across New Zealand. Despite committing a spree of hate crimes against gay men, the trio has walked away with relatively light sentences—home detention, no prison time—leaving many to wonder if the justice system truly grasps the severity of their actions.
RELATED: Grindr User Data Allegedly Collected by Third-Party App, Says NOYB
Orchestrating the Attack: A Social Media-Fueled Scheme
Thomas Bull, Patrick Moloney, and Ethan Jeffs, all in their late teens at the time of the assaults, were convicted of a disturbing campaign of violence. Their “hunt,” which was anything but playful, targeted unsuspecting gay men in a warped twist on so-called “Catch a Predator”-style videos. Instead of exposing sexual predators, however, they chose to attack and humiliate innocent victims—an ordeal that ended with violent assaults filmed for social media, complete with music and dramatic titles.
RELATED: Grindr Blackmail: The Police Fail and the Body Count Rises
The trio’s behavior was hardly spontaneous. They orchestrated the whole thing through a private Snapchat group, “Freaky Group,” where they discussed how to “catch” and humiliate gay men they believed were “predators.” These words alone are enough to send chills down anyone’s spine, especially since the victims were nothing but men simply seeking connections on Grindr, an app designed for sexual and social encounters.
The Assaults: A Pattern of Violence
What followed was a string of 13 brutal assaults carried out between August and September 2024. The men created fake Grindr profiles to lure their victims into secluded locations—late-night parks, quiet streets, or private homes—and once the victims arrived, they were ambushed. The attacks included punches, kicks, and slaps, with at least one victim forced to strip naked in front of them. The violence was filmed and edited into content meant to humiliate the victims, which was then posted on social media.
Some of these videos even showed the attackers chasing down their victims, some wearing balaclavas for added intimidation. These videos weren’t just a record of the assaults—they were designed to be shared for the sick amusement of the perpetrators and, potentially, their audience.
The Sentencing: A Light and Controversial Verdict
The sentencing of the three attackers has only fueled the controversy. Despite the fact that all three judges agreed that their actions constituted hate crimes, the sentences were remarkably light. Bull, Moloney, and Jeffs were given home detention sentences of 8.5 to 10.5 months. No time behind bars.
A Judge’s Rebuke: Confronting the Heart of the Hate
The sentence has been criticized not just because of the harm the victims suffered, but because of the clear and calculated way the young men went about their violent campaign. Judge after judge emphasized how despicable and cowardly the assaults were, yet the penalties felt weak in comparison to the emotional and physical toll inflicted on the victims.
Jeffs’ lawyer tried to argue that his client wasn’t targeting gay men specifically, but was simply going after pedophiles. However, the judge wasn’t fooled. The fact that the attackers used Grindr to target gay men was undeniable. The judge didn’t mince words, saying Jeffs had enjoyed humiliating and disrespecting his victims and that his actions couldn’t be separated from hate.
The Moral Dilemma: A Father’s Example
For Moloney, the judge pointed out the irony of his new fatherhood. Would he want his son to see him as a role model? The thought of his actions being mirrored by his child was clearly a point the judge wanted him to dwell on.
The System’s Failure: A Call for Stronger Action
But perhaps the most staggering part of the case is the response of the judges themselves. Despite the brutality and clear intent behind the attacks, they opted for home detention. It begs the question: What does it take for young men like this to face real consequences? Shouldn’t a hate crime, especially one filmed and uploaded with the intent to humiliate and terrorize, warrant more than a slap on the wrist?
The Bigger Picture: ‘Pedo Hunts’ and the Rise of Vigilantism
The case highlights a larger issue that’s been bubbling under the surface for years in both New Zealand and Australia: the rise of “pedo hunts” that target gay men under the guise of protecting children. These videos have gone viral across platforms like TikTok, but at what cost? In the pursuit of likes and viral fame, innocent lives are being damaged, and sometimes, the real predators are the ones behind the camera.
As the saga unfolds, we can only hope that these three teens take the time to reflect on their actions and the victims they left in their wake. But with light sentences and little more than a slap on the wrist, it’s hard not to feel like the justice system has failed those who were humiliated, injured, and forever scarred by these “hunts.”
This case is a stark reminder: it’s not just about the crime—it’s about how society chooses to react to it. Are we truly doing enough to protect the most vulnerable members of our community? Or are we letting hate slide by for the sake of convenience?
SOURCE: NewZealand Herald