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Man charged over alleged dating app assault

Staff WriterJoondalup Times

A WOMAN was taken to hospital after she was allegedly punched and kicked during the first date with a man she met online.

Police said the 31-year-old man and the woman, who is aged in her 20s, met via a dating app and allegedly had their first in-person meeting on October 27.

The pair had been out for the evening and returned to the woman’s Woodvale home for some time.

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The woman asked the man to leave at which time it is alleged he kicked and punched her several times.

Police said the woman was taken by ambulance to the Joondalup Health Campus for treatment to the facial injuries she received.

The 31-year-old man from Spearwood has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.

He is due to appear before the Joondalup Magistrates Court on November 21.

Police have urged users of dating apps to be careful when meeting in-person.

“As online dating and use of social media applications to meet people continues to grow in popularity, it is important that all members of the community be vigilant when it comes to their personal safety,” a WA Police spokesperson said.

ADVICE from WA Police:

  • Use trustworthy sites and applications
  • Remember that dating apps do not do background checks
  • Don’t give away too many of your personal details too early on
  • Meet up in a public place that you are comfortable with
  • Arrange your own transport to and from your meeting
  • Tell a friend who can check in on you, consider using a code word that tells a friend that you feel unsafe and need assistance
  • Be aware of your surrounding at all times
  • Trust your instincts
  • Don’t be afraid to report anything suspicious to police

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