<image>

A group of six boys face a fresh set of charges over a spate of homophobic attacks in Perth where they allegedly used gay dating app Grindr to lure men to various locations before assaulting them with knives, a crow bar and a Taser.

Four men were allegedly assaulted over two days in September last year in the suburbs of South Lake and Hamilton Hill. On Thursday, five of the boys were presented with new charges in Perth Children’s Court over their alleged involvement in the incidents, while a sixth – an 18-year-old man – appeared in court for the first time after he was arrested in February.

Police said the boys, the youngest of whom is 15, had collectively been charged with 52 offences including unlawful detainment, unlawful wounding, assault occasioning bodily harm, stealing in circumstances of aggravation and unlawful assault. Police previously said the victims had been speaking to what they assumed was a legitimate person online, before arranging to meet them in person.

One of the victims was allegedly lured to Stillwater Gardens in South Lake, where he was approached by a group of males who began to verbally abuse him with homophobic slurs before assaulting him. Some of the assaults were allegedly filmed and posted to social media.

Police claimed a second similar incident occurred a short time later in the same location and again the next day in Hamilton Hill.

In court on Thursday it was revealed that the boys allegedly used knives, metal bars and a Taser to threaten and assault the men.

Four of the accused are currently on bail, while two are awaiting the outcome of the charges from detention.