Richard Ian Squires jailed for abusing child in state care after luring him via dating app Grindr

A man who used the Grindr app to lure and abuse a “particularly vulnerable” teenager in state care has been jailed.

A man who lured a “particularly vulnerable” boy from state care via a dating app – and deceived those looking after him – has been jailed for 4½ years.

Richard Ian Squires, 39, met the boy, who initially claimed to be an adult, on Grindr last year.

The pair spoke for the first time in January this year, when the boy informed Squires he was still underage and, before any sexual activity occurred, that he was under the care of the department for child protection.

On Wednesday, District Court Judge Adam Kimber jailed Squires for the offending, which he said was aggravated because Squires knew of the victim’s age and care status before any sexual activity occurred.

“All children are vulnerable and need to be protected, but children in care are particularly vulnerable,” Judge Kimber said.

“Those minded to offend against children will tend to seek out those whose family and social networks are not as strong and protective as those more fortunate.

“Those minded to offend will also, like you, seek to exploit how easily children can be engaged with through social media”.

Squires had pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with the boy, and one charge of failing to comply with a bail agreement.

In May, Squires contacted the victim via a messaging app seeking sexual activity, gave the boy his address and arranged an Uber to take him there.

Judge Kimber said the boy and Squires spent the night together, before a social worker contacted the boy because he was not at home.

“During that call you were in the background,” Judge Kimber said.

“You were heard telling the victim to lie about who you were and to say that the victim had met you at school.

“You encouraged the victim not to meet with his social worker.”

The Department of Child Protection social worker, and later the police, went to Squires’ home. Around that time, Squires then told the boy he was not permitted to be around minors.

In a victim impact statement previously read to the court, the boy said he was embarrassed by the offending against him and that he was “afraid that people will lie to use me like Richard did”.

Judge Kimber said aspects of Squires’ background may excite sympathy but nothing could mitigate his offending.

“You knew he was 16 years of age and particularly vulnerable. You exploited him for your own sexual gratification,” the judge said.

Judge Kimber said Squires had an interest in young males and, despite the existence of a bail condition preventing his contact with children, it “gives rise to a real concern about your ability to control that sexual interest”.

After discount for his pleas, Judge Kimber jailed Squires for 4½ years, with a non-parole period of two years.

A spokeswoman for the Minister for Child Protection, Rachel Sanderson, said in a statement her office had received regular updates about the case.

“This young person’s wellbeing is paramount and they are being fully supported,” she said.

“Anyone who preys on a child is despicable.”

The spokeswoman said the government was engaging new measures to help deter young people in care from risky online behaviour.