A warning to the women of Australia

THIS dangerous Melbourne rapist is walking the streets despite confessing to three rapes, writes Sherele Moody. Memorise his face.

THIS is a public announcement for the women of Australia.

I would like to warn you about vile sex predator Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland.

Dubbed the Tinder Rapist after using the popular dating app to find his victims, Hartland two weeks ago pleaded guilty to raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth.

Yet he remains free on bail as he waits for his next scheduled court date — five months away in March.

Hartland was initially charged with five counts of rape and multiple counts of indecent assault, false imprisonment, common law assault and breaching his bail by harassing his victims.

Just one week before he was due to face trial on all of those charges, he made a deal with the Office of Public Prosecutions and pleaded guilty to three charges of rape and one of sexual assault.

When his lawyer suggested his bail be extended, the OPP did not oppose the request.

It is a surprising outcome considering the 44-year-old pleaded guilty to charges that attract a maximum prison term of 25 years.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland, Victorian man who has pleaded guilty to three rapes. Picture: Facebook

It is also surprising given the heightened fear among women Australia-wide who have been left shell-shocked by the alleged rape and murder of Eurydice Dixon in June, the murder, and suspected rape, of Toyah Cordingley in Cairns last month and the deaths of 67 other women across the country since January 1.

One of Hartland’s victims — I’ll call her Mary — said she and the other women he assaulted were living in fear and would not feel safe until Hartland was locked up.

“We are not safe from this man, and the (police) taskforce have never indicated that they are taking the victims’ concerns about our safety and the poor handling of this case and our rights as victims seriously,” Mary said.

“The victims of the accused have not been afforded proper justice — in fact we’ve been told by the police to step away from pursuing the OPP, to be happy that he pleaded guilty and just go home and recover.”

The crimes Hartland pleaded guilty to were committed across Melbourne in 2014, 2015 and 2016 after he connected with his victims through the dating app, Tinder.

This bloke is a real grub — the kind of selfish coward who paints himself as the victim and his victims as the perpetrators.

“So glad you have so much to say about me,” he said in a message to me after I shared a news article about his crimes.

“Just imagine if it was your father or son in this position.

“I find it concerning that these ‘alleged victims’ are being called victims at all.

“I’m not a rapist.”

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland had multiple Tinder profiles.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland found some of his victims via Tinder, using multiple aliases.

He followed this up with a veiled threat.

“I just wanted to say that you should be very careful about what you write on a public forum,” he told me.

“Especially when that person is me — innocent until proven guilty.”

It’s now up to his victims to ensure that anyone who is likely to be contacted by Hartland understands the potential threat.

I have been told by friends and strangers that he was stalking and harassing them as far back as 2007 at various locations across the country and they have all asked me to get their message out.

Hartland uses a range of names including Glenn Potter and Dylan Hartland and is connected to a small religious organisation in inner-Melbourne.

His manipulation knows no ends, including pretending to work in the professions of his potential victims and claiming to be a sportsman who excels at triathlons and snowboarding.

“He mirrors his victims,” Mary says.

“For instance he told me he was a lawyer because I’m a lawyer.

“He has all of his moves planned out, he has an answer for everything and comes across as quite fun and confident.”

Hartland uses Tinder to lure women into his web but he is also known to hang out at venues where young women congregate and at university events, especially sporting activities.

Hartland also “gaslights” victims by making them think they are at fault for questioning his motives.

“When you do question him he gets super defensive and turns it back on you and says things like you’re judgemental and then picks a vulnerability to exploit,” Mary said.

“He loves saying that you’ve got no one in your life or you haven’t achieved anything and then compares that to his made-up life.”

Another victim Hillary described Hartland as “very cruel”.

“He threatened me when I refused to meet him,” she said.

“I found out later he had been following a uni friend via message and also in person.”

Another friend told me Hartland tried to dupe her into a relationship, refusing to take no for an answer.

“That f****er tried really hard to get me to go out with him a few years ago,” she said.

“I avoided him because he said something sleazy.

“He is a dangerous piece of s*** and I cannot see a f****g reason to extend his bail.”

I can only hope that when Hartland returns to court in March, he is ordered to serve a lengthy jail term — getting this sex predator off the street will help his victims begin to heal and ensure the safety of other women.

News Corp journalist Sherele Moody is the recipient of the 2018 BandT Women in Media Social Change Maker Award and has Clarion and Walkley Our Watch journalism excellence awards for her work reducing violence against women and children. She is also the founder of The RED HEART Campaign and the creator of the Femicide Australia Map.

*For 24-hour sexual violence support call the national hotline 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.