Grindr date turns to horror as ‘erratic’ man allegedly kidnaps his lover and locks him in his car for FOUR HOURS before the passenger is forced to jump from the moving vehicle, court hears
- Steven Matthew Lonesborough allegedly locked his date in a car for four hours
- He allegedly threatened to kill the man, punched him in the lip and bit him
- Lonesborough was refused bail at Wollongong Local Court on Friday
A man was allegedly held against his will, threatened, beaten and forced to jump from a moving car after his lover became ‘erratic’ during a Grindr date, a court has heard.
Steven Matthew Lonesborough allegedly picked up his date from his Wollongong home on October 11 before driving him to Nowra on the NSW south coast.
Lonesborough, who was in court on Friday, started to become ‘paranoid’ in the early hours of October 12 – prompting his lover to ask for a ride home, the court heard, according to the Illawarra Star.
Steven Matthew Lonesborough (pictured) allegedly locked his date in a car for four hours while threatening to kill him
Police allege during the hour-long drive back to Wollongong, Lonesborough’s behaviour escalated and he became convinced his GPS was a listening device.
He then allegedly threatened to ‘kill’ the victim, who he had been on a number of dates with, and to crash the car.
The man asked Lonesborough on several occasions to stop the car and let him out, according to police.
He was allegedly locked in the car for four hours.
The 34-year-old allegedly held the passenger’s seat belt so tightly against the man it left red marks on his neck.
Lonesborough is also alleged to have bitten the man and punched him in the lip.
The pair had met on the dating application Grindr, according to investigators (stock)
The car eventually slowed at a roundabout and the man jumped out before running to a nearby home to get help.
Investigators allegedly found the man’s phone and backpack in Lonesborough’s car, which police said was abandoned.
Lonesborough was eventually found by police. The court was told he was intoxicated and screaming ‘the Lord will provide the truth’.
Lonesborough was in Wollongong Local Court on Friday on the charge of detain person with intent to gain advantage or cause actual bodily harm.
He was refused bail despite his lawyer arguing he had mental health issues that can’t be treated in custody.
He will reappear in court later this year.