Gay hook-up turns to horror

A GOLD Coast dentist put a dog chain around a man’s neck and choked him until he bled in a bizarre Grindr gay dating hook-up gone wrong, a court had been told.

Hilary Desmond Knight, 69, who owned Palm Beach Dental, faced a Southport Magistrates Court committal hearing yesterday on six charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, deprivation of liberty and disabling in order to commit an indictable offence.

A co-accused, Ian Braddon Carter, faced similar charges as well as robbery with actual violence.

The alleged victim, Brendan Tierney, became emotional as he told the court he feared he would die during the incident in an apartment in the Q1 tower in Surfers Paradise on July 8 last year.

He said he went to Q1 about 12.30am after exchanging messages on Grindr with a man known as Big Top.

He said a man who did not match Big Top’s Grindr picture answered the door which was immediately slammed shut behind him by a woman named Samantha Pedersen.

His said his wallet and phone were taken, his glasses snapped and he was repeatedly punched in the head by Pedersen and a man named Frank, aka Big Top.

Mr Tierney said Knight then placed a dog collar around his neck and choked him.

“He began to pull it tightly and choking me,” he told the court.

“I was in fear of my life. I thought I was going to die, that’s what it felt like.”

Mr Tierney said he was later forced to withdraw money that Knight claimed was owed for a stolen bag.

Rachel Meredith, who was at the Q1 apartment on the night of the alleged assault, said she saw a man she called ‘Brad’ throw Tierney on to a couch.

“He (Tierney) went flying like a little rag doll,” she said.

Meredith said Tierney was screaming and Pedersen was trying to cover his mouth with what she believed was gaffer tape, telling him: “Shut up c--t.”

She said she also saw cable ties and Tierney was pleading “please don’t hurt me” and complaining that he couldn’t see because his glasses were on the floor.

Meredith said she was “freaking out” and Knight was “stunned” as the scene unfolded.

Knight was committed for trial on the charge of using a dog collar to disable Tierney with an intent to commit an indictable offence.

He did not enter a plea and was bailed on conditions including that he not use Grindr.

His dental registration was suspended last October by the Health Ombudsman.

Carter was also committed for trial in Southport District Court, on four charges including deprivation of liberty, assault, using a dog collar to disable Tierney and robbery in company.

He also did not enter a plea.