Convicted Scots sex beast trawls Tinder for date weeks after prison release

Pervert Steven McGinley has been branded a 'danger to women' after joining the dating app just weeks after he was let out of jail.

A sex offender who met his victim online has been branded “a danger to women” after he returned to a dating app following his release from jail.

Pervert Steven McGinley joined Tinder just weeks after he was let out of jail for attacking a woman on their first date.

They had arranged the meeting on an online dating app but after tricking his victim into a flat, he sexually assaulted and spat on her.

The victim had to flee to a nearby chip shop to get help after escaping his clutches.

McGinley, 35, was sentenced to 15 months inside – but after his early release he has gone straight back to the dating app in a bid to meet other women.

He has also set up a business selling goods via mail order and is calling himself a “director”.

Former construction engineer McGinley describes himself on Tinder as “flirty and cheeky but has a deep and meaningful side”.

McGinley, originally from Scotstoun, Glasgow, was released from jail in June and in August he set up StevoSocks Ltd.

On his Tinder profile he said he is “trying to explore more”, doesn’t want pen pals and “if we get on I will want to meet up”.

The former soldier said “high vibers” and “educated individuals are preferable” and claims to love dogs.

McGinley’s profile was outed on social media when someone he knew was alerted of his presence on the popular dating app.

Last night, a former friend said: “It beggars belief he is on a dating app when he met his victim on one last year.

"Imagine getting out of prison early and one of the first things you do is set up a Tinder to meet unsuspecting women.

“He is a total creep of a guy. He doesn’t say much at all, he just stares at everyone.

"From his profile he seems like a good guy but after what he did to that poor lassie he shouldn’t be out of prison never mind setting up a business and looking for dates.”

The friend added: “He’d been back on Facebook but when the picture showing his profile was shared on social media, he deleted his account.

"He’s a danger to women and shouldn’t be allowed on anything like that.”

Last year, Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how McGinley, who was placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years, pounced on his victim in his flat after they’d spent an evening in bars.

His terrified victim, who was 23, fled to a nearby chip shop for help after McGinley, who had a previous sexual offence, attacked her.

Following their night out, the woman wanted to go home so McGinley said he would accompany her to the train station.

He lured her to his Whiteinch flat to pick up a jacket.

When they arrived, she asked to use the toilet and, when she returned, McGinley’s shoes were off and he started to behave strangely.

When she tried to leave, McGinley told her he would decide when she could go.

Prosecutor Amanda Gallagher said: “The woman went to the toilet and when she returned McGinley’s shoes were off.

“She asked when they were leaving and that’s when McGinley acted particularly erratic. He was saying things that didn’t make sense.”

The woman asked McGinley about them heading to the train station, to which he replied: “Yes but I didn’t say when.”

McGinley then jumped on top of the woman and sexually assaulted her.

He spat on her face and she fought him off before fleeing to a chip shop where she was able to call a taxi.

McGinley admitted the attack in court last November and in December he was jailed for 15 months.

Free dating apps don’t screen for sex offenders because the platforms do not have access to reliable information for ­background checks.

Responsibility for policing the app is left to users themselves.

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A spokesperson for Tinder said: “We take members’ safety very seriously.

"We encourage our community to report any instance of misconduct via the self-reporting tool featured on all Tinder profiles or online.

“If a member contacts us to report any bad online or offline behaviour, our team carefully reviews the report and takes the necessary action to remove any inappropriate profile from our platform.

“If a crime has been committed, we encourage members to report it to local law enforcement.

"Our team will cooperate with law enforcement if they are contacted directly.

“We also encourage our members to review our safety tips, which can be found on our website and accessed through the app.

"More information about our safety practices can be found on our website.”