Firstly, he set up a fake account under the name of ‘Alex’ on Grindr, a social networking and dating site for gay and bisexual men.   

It wasn’t long before his profile attracted the attention of an older man, allowing Hastie to reveal the second step in his plan: sweet-talk.

‘Alex’ spent two weeks wooing his unsuspecting victim, with the pair exchanging several sexually explicit messages and phone calls.

They eventually agreed to meet on March 21 in the carpark of the Lake Illawarra PCYC. The victim turned up, but Hastie was a no-show.

He later called to apologise and the victim agreed to give the younger man another chance.

The rendezvous was scheduled for two days time at Bass Point in Shellharbour, with ‘Alex’ assuring his new friend he would turn up, even telling him to look for someone carrying a blue and white umbrella.

However, he also said if anyone asked the victim about ‘Alex’ he should refer to him as his nephew.

The victim was greeted at the assigned meeting point by one of Hastie’s friends, with Hastie arriving a short time later.

The 24-year-old climbed into the backseat of the victim’s vehicle and introduced himself as ‘Alex’.

It was then the scenario took an unexpected – and criminal – turn.

“You have been pinged,” Hastie said, telling the victim he was an undercover police officer and that a disc he was holding in his hand was a tracker that would bring other officers to their location.

“You don’t have to say anything but whatever you do say can be used as evidence in court.”

The “terrified” victim later told (real) police officers he believed Hastie’s lies and promptly agreed to Hastie’s demand for $2,000 and the victim’s ongoing “help” on a weekly basis.

The victim drove to Stockland Shellharbour, withdrew the money and handed it to Hastie.

The trio then drove back to the grounds of Lake Illawarra PCYC where Hastie and his friend carried out a ‘search’ of the victim’s car.

Hastie then told the victim “you ever do this again, I’ll find you and break your legs. If you co-operate you’ll be helping us out on a weekly basis. If you don’t, all the transcripts [and] photos will be going to police.”

The pair then left the scene. It’s unclear when the victim reported the matter to police, however Hastie was arrested after a raid at his Collie Way home on April 24.

He pleaded guilty to charges of demanding money with menace and impersonating a police officer in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday in exchange for prosecutors dropping a more serious charge of kidnapping.

He will front court in December for sentencing.