Man fills lubricant dispenser with hydrochloric acid in Sydney gay club

Police say the dipensers had been targeted before and were alarmed

Hydrochloric acid can cause burns, blisters and ulcers when it comes into contact with skin (Getty Images)

A 62-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly switching lubricant with acid at a Sydney gay club.

Police said the unnamed man went into the Aarrows club in the Rydalmere area of the city on Saturday and filled a lubricant dispenser with hydrochloric acid.

No-one was hurt following the incident as the dispensers had been fitted with alarms after previous attempts to tamper with them.

Security staff at the club detained the man before police arrived and arrested him on suspicion of administering a poison with intent to injure or cause distress or pain, entering a building with intent, malicious damage and driving while suspended.

The man was later charged, released on conditional bail and will appear at Parramatta Local Court on 20 September.

The motive for the attack is unclear.

Aarrows describes itself as “Sydney’s premier health, recreation and social centre where safe sex is permitted regardless of gender”.

One club goer told ABC News that he thought it was a “sick” thing to do.

He said: “There could have been a lot of damage. Hydrochloric acid is not the best sort of thing to be playing with.”

When hydrochloric acid comes into contact with skin it causes severe burns, ulcers and blisters.