Francis Muscat pleads guilty to meeting an underage teen on Grindr – but deemed not a pedophile

A man who indecently assaulted a teen boy he met on an app has broken down in court as he pleaded guilty.

A northern suburbs man has broken down and begged a court – and his mother – for forgiveness after indecently assaulting a teenager.

On Wednesday, the District Court heard Francis Muscat, 54, was assessed by professional psychologists and found “he doesn’t satisfy the diagnostic criteria for a pedophilic disorder”.

Stephen Ey for Muscat, said Judge Emily Telfer and the court could be confident his client would not reoffend as his arrest had helped him turn his “spiralling” life around.

“He had developed a gambling addiction to ease away the pain of failed relationships and not being able to establish any proper relationships and that led him to going bankrupt,” Mr Ey said.

Francis Muscat pleaded guilty to committing child sex offences – but court heard he is not a pedophile. Photo: Facebook

The court heard that Muscat was relying on payday loans and had a “degree of vulnerability attached to his life”, which led him to using the dating application Grindr – where he met the 15-year-old victim.

Muscat previously pleaded not guilty to procuring a child for sexual activity, gross indecency and indecent assault in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, November 2 last year.

But the Paralowie man later entered guilty pleas to procuring a child for sexual activity and indecent assault before Judge Telfer on February 23.

The court previously heard during his successful home detention bail bid in July 2023 that he met the 15-year-old victim on Grindr and began messaging back and forth – including exchanging nude photos.

Prosecutors told the court the victim told Muscat his age “almost immediately”, which the court previously heard Muscat replied, “I’m OK with that as long as you are OK with me”.

The court heard that Muscat communicated with the teen for a month prior to the meeting in late April, and continued to contact him until the victim’s parents confiscated his phone and discovered sexualised conversations.

The 54-year-old man broke down in tears as he read an apology to the court and sought “forgiveness”. Photo: Facebook

During the sentencing submission hearing, Muscat read an apology to the court and broke down as he begged forgiveness from his mother and friends while acknowledging he “failed to be responsible”.

“ … I should have ceased communication with you as soon as I became aware of your age,

I cannot deny or excuse myself of any wrong doing … I failed in my moral obligations,” Muscat said.

“I am very sorry and ashamed, because I neglected to consider the consequences and feelings of others by allowing unacceptable behaviour to occur.

“To my friends and my mumma, I am very sorry about the pain and grief caused. I seek your forgiveness.”

Judge Telfer thanked Muscat for the insight his apology offered.

Her honour revoked Muscat’s bail at the conclusion of the hearing in preparation for sentencing later this month.