A predator who preyed on women he stalked on dating apps will be front and centre of a BBC series as his callous crimes are exposed.
Tales of Christopher Harkins’ crimes will be told on current affairs programme Disclosure: Matched with a Predator which is due to air on BBC One Scotland later this month.
Dubbed the Scottish Tinder Swindler, Harkins, 38, attempted to be a “perfect guy” on the dating apps but had a sinister agenda at the forefront of his mind. He targeted women who were career-driven, attractive and smart.
He wore a mask pretending to be charming, successful and generous, however, he was in reality a thief, violent abuser and rapist. We previously reported how he was found guilty, following a trial at the High Court in Paisley in May 2024, of raping one former partner.
Harkins was also convicted of filming two women in intimate situations without their consent before sending them the graphic content.
This episode of Disclosure tells the story of the women he targeted, their fight to be heard when their initial police complaints went nowhere, and of their search for justice against this insidious form of male violence.
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One of his victims, a financial professional, lost more than £16,000 to Harkins’ cruelty after he convinced her that he had his own currency exchange business and would pay her back.
She paid for a luxury holiday to Greece that Harkins never actually booked, and also agreed to cover what she believed were his business debts. The woman, from London, parted with £16,700 and has never seen a penny back from Harkins, who was a repairs manager in Drumchapel.
He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely. Non-harassment orders, preventing Harkins from contacting or attempting to contact 10 victims, have also been granted for an indefinite period.
Disclosure: Matched with a Predator airs on BBC One Scotland at 8pm on Monday, January 20.
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