Man Jailed for Violent Attacks on Two Men He Met Through Dating App

Mohammed Altaher, 38, from Cardington Road in Bedford, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after violently attacking and raping two men he met on the dating app, Grindr. The sentence was passed down at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, 8 September.

Altaher was convicted on two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration. These incidents took place in August and September 2019, after meeting his victims on Grindr. Upon his release, Altaher will be monitored by probation officers until 2038 due to a five-year extension added to his term.

Recorder Andrew Johnson, in his remarks, labeled Altaher as “arrogant, narcissistic, and self-obsessed”. The judge further commented, “Your arrogance is the backdrop to this offending. What Dr. Altaher wants, he gets, and the consent of the other party does not concern you.”

Judge Johnson pointed out that Altaher’s victims were treated without any respect or humanity.

Detective Constable Kevin Cheese of Bedfordshire Police’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team praised the courage of the survivors for speaking up against Altaher. He emphasized the importance of understanding that “consent can be withdrawn at any time.”

In 2019, Altaher met his first victim through Grindr. Despite the victim revoking consent, Altaher ignored the pleas and proceeded to assault him. The trauma has deeply affected the victim’s mental health, causing him heightened anxiety in daily tasks.

The second victim was persuaded by Altaher to consume the mephedrone during their meeting. Though the two initially had consensual intercourse, the victim’s withdrawal of consent after feeling unwell was ignored by Altaher, who then violently attacked him. The assault was reported to the police several months later.