A Murray Bridge man who helped detain and torture an elderly man he met on Grindr, is "ashamed of his actions" and extremely "remorseful", a South Australian District Court has heard.
Brett Caire has pleaded guilty to numerous offences, including false imprisonment, aggravated blackmail and aggravated assault.
His brother, Charlie Caire, has already been sentenced for setting up a fake Grindr dating app profile, meeting the elderly man behind a Murray Bridge supermarket and luring him back to a house in February last year.
Prosecutor Ben Sturm told the court while it was accepted Brett Caire did not "orchestrate" the operation, he was still involved from the outset.
"He entered the room, wearing a balaclava, in the full knowledge that the two of them were about to torture the victim … this all occurred at his home address, really under his auspices, he was central to the enterprise," Mr Sturm said.
"He acted, colloquially I suppose, as the muscle.
"He's a fairly imposing figure, it was his participation that enabled the victim to be detained, held down and assaulted in the manner that he was."
Mr Sturm said in an impact statement, the victim described feeling helpless throughout the ordeal.
"It is difficult to overstate the seriousness of the conduct and both the short and long-term impacts that it has had on the victim," he said.
Mr Sturm said while Charlie Caire had been handed a suspended sentence for the operation, due to his "compelling" personal circumstances — that would not be appropriate for his older brother – as personal deterrence is a more significant consideration.
"Charlie was 20-years-old at the time of the offending, whereas Brett was 37," Mr Sturm said.
"Brett was convicted in 2012 of an assault against a bus driver … [having] thrown punches in his direction. It was an unprovoked attack."
Brett Caire's lawyer Martin Kirby described his client as "more of a follower", who is "focused on pleasing others".
"In this matter that manifested in going along with his brother's directions," he said.
Lawyer asks for suspended sentence
Mr Kirby said Mr Caire "does not shy away" from the seriousness of this offending and asked Judge Liesl Chapman to consider a suspended sentence or home detention.
"He admits his guilt, his guilty plea demonstrates that he is ashamed of his actions and very remorseful for the impact that has been caused."
He said his client was committed to rehabilitation and urged Judge Chapman to take into account his "constant exposure to childhood trauma" in her sentence.
"It seems clear from a young age, Mr Caire's sense of self, his confidence and his will were essentially crushed, leaving him as a follower with low self-esteem and lacking the ability to satisfy his own needs," he said.
"Which led him to meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder and social anxiety."
Mr Caire will be sentenced later this month.
