PERTH SERIAL TINDER STALKER ADMITS BREACHING SUPERVISION ORDER

A Perth man previously convicted of stalking and harassing women he met through dating apps has been fined after admitting breaches of the supervision conditions imposed on him.

Tom Geoffrey Lewandowski (formerly known as Adam Geoffrey Rybicki) pleaded guilty to supervision order breaches in court this week. Reports note one breach involved muffling the charger for his electronic ankle monitor in a blanket. Authorities also experienced difficulty contacting him, with the court reportedly told Lewandowski did not answer calls from private numbers.

A HISTORY OF ONLINE STALKING

Lewandowski has a significant history of stalking women through online dating and social media platforms.

Under his former name, he previously admitted stalking and harassing 18 women he encountered through platforms including Tinder, Bumble, Snapchat and Instagram. He spent more than six months in custody before receiving a suspended prison sentence in 2020.

He subsequently changed his name to Tom Geoffrey Lewandowski. WA Parliament later confirmed the change of name was registered on 8 January 2021.

Further offending followed. By 2023, Lewandowski had again admitted stalking offences involving women he met online, with previous reporting describing repeated abusive messages, threats and persistent unwanted contact.

SUPERVISION UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

His latest appearance is significant because Lewandowski was no longer serving a sentence, he was subject to continuing controls intended to restrict and monitor his behaviour.

Electronic monitoring is increasingly being used across WA to supervise people released into the community, but recent cases have also raised questions about compliance with the technology and how breaches are managed. In August, WA Police and the Police Union raised concerns after eight other alleged offenders cut off electronic monitoring devices within a 48 hour period.

Lewandowski did not cut off his ankle monitor in this latest matter. The reported breach involved interference with its charging arrangement and he has now pleaded guilty.

For the women previously subjected to his offending (and the wider community) the case again puts the effectiveness of post release supervision under the spotlight.