Michael Barron died after travelling to Josh Baxter's flat for sex
14:03, 09 Jan 2026
A man accused of killing his Grindr date after they met up for sex denied wanting to hurt him and described chats prior to their encounter as ‘fantasy’. Michael Barron met Josh Baxter in person for sex after they connected on the dating app in January last year. Mr Barron, 38, travelled to Mr Baxter’s flat in Blackley, north Manchester.
Mr Barron was found dead in the flat on January 26 after suffering from cerebral hypoxia, said to be caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain and then a cardiac arrest. Prosecutors allege that Mr Baxter strangled and choked Mr Barron with such force that he fractured a bone and cartilage.
Mr Baxter, 28, denies manslaughter and is on trial at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester. Jurors have heard that the pair connected on the Grindr app that day before continuing their chat on WhatsApp.
Mr Baxter, who said he worked at Wetherspoons, told 38-year-old Mr Barron in messages that he liked it 'rough', and asked if Mr Barron would let him 'choke him, tie him up, pull his hair, spit on him, call him names, get him so drunk he was weak and defenceless and punch him'. He also asked if Mr Barron would 'do rape role play', the court has heard.
Jurors have heard that Mr Barron told Mr Baxter that he liked to be ‘tied, gagged, hooded, totally helpless’ as well as 'pain and torture'. Asked about such messages, Mr Baxter, giving evidence in his defence for the first time in the trial, denied that he wanted to hurt Mr Barron.
Under questioning from his barrister Louise Sweet KC, described his messaging as ‘fantasy’ and ‘role play’. Mr Baxter told jurors that he had got up at about noon that day and wasn’t working.
He said he logged on to the Grindr app in order to meet someone. The defendant said his username was ‘Kinky Dom Top’, which he said meant that his preferred role was ‘dominant’ rather than ‘submissive’, and that he was interested in ‘kinky sex’.
Mr Baxter said that after connecting with Mr Barron, they began talking about their sexual interests. “It’s important to set the boundaries of what you want with each other,” the defendant said.
Jurors have heard that there was also discussion of ‘rape role play’. Mr Baxter denied that he wanted to ‘take sex from Michael without his consent’.
Mr Baxter described a message in which he told Mr Barron that he ‘could not wait to make him his rape toy’ as ‘fantasy’. He accepted that he’d told another Grindr user that he did not think choking was dangerous.
Mr Baxter said: “I would only hold their throat for a few seconds. I keep an eye on them as well while I’m choking them to make sure they are enjoying it.”
Mr Baxter, of Lakeside Rise, Blackley, denies manslaughter.
Proceeding