Detectives renew appeal as senior church figure sentenced for non-recent sexual offences

A man who groomed vulnerable young men has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison, with detectives now appealing for further potential victim-survivors to come forward.

John Grant, 77 (13.04.1949) of Colney Hatch Lane, Hornsey, was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Monday, 14 September, to eight and a half years in prison. He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the sex offender register for life. At the same court on Monday, 13 July, he was found guilty of –

• three counts of sexual assault,

• six counts of indecent assault,

• two counts of causing another person to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity.

During the investigation, detectives gathered detailed accounts from victim-survivors to help build a strong case against 77-year-old John Grant, who had been a senior figure in churches and local communities across the country between 1970 and 2012. This included Muswell Hill Baptist Church in north London, and Billingham Baptist Church in Stockton-on-Tees, as well as several youth groups in north London. He held various roles, including church deacon and youth group leader.

The nature of Grant’s offending and his lengthy association with the church as an influential member at multiple religious institutions has led the Met’s investigators to believe there may be more victims who have yet to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Elsa Mak, whose team led the investigation, said: “Today’s sentencing follows an extensive investigation by the Met into Grant’s offending and shows our commitment to bringing offenders to justice.

“We would like to pay tribute to the bravery of the victim-survivors who have already come forward. Their experiences and accounts directly shaped our investigation while it was in its early stages, and we thank them for putting their trust in us to help identify the scale of Grant’s prolific offending across four decades.

“The Met remains committed to investigating all reports of rape and serious sexual offences, even if they occurred many years ago. Any victim-survivor that comes forward will be treated with dignity, compassion and sensitivity at every step of the way.”

The investigation

Police first became aware of Grant’s offending in 2023 when a victim-survivor reported that he had been repeatedly sexually assaulted over a 30-year period. The abuse began in 1994 when the victim-survivor moved into a shared house with Grant. However, after two other people moved out of the address they shared, Grant began asking whether the victim-survivor wanted massages.

Despite rejecting these offers, the victim-survivor stated that he felt pressured into massages involving sexual touching. This continued until the victim moved out in 1998, but he returned to the address in 1999, where the abuse continued until 2008.

Following this disclosure, officers launched extensive enquiries to identify organisations and churches connected to Grant. These included Muswell Hill Baptist Church, Billingham Baptist Church and several youth groups in north London that Grant had previously run. Through these enquiries, detectives identified further victim-survivors.

Across all the complainants, there was a similar motive displayed by Grant where he groomed vulnerable young men through coercive control and behaviour, before sexually assaulting them.

The appeal

Detectives are keen to appeal for any other potential victim-survivors to come forward due to the nature and scale of Grant’s known offending.

In addition to Billingham and Muswell Hill churches, Grant was also a member of the Broomsknoll Church of Scotland in Airdrie between 1965 and 1970. He was also a member of Ward Green Baptist Church in Barnsley between 1973 and 1984.

The most senior role held by Grant was at Muswell Hill Baptist Church as Moderator for the London Baptist Association. This would see Grant stand in as a moderator for the other churches in the district and preach in local churches around Muswell Hill, which detectives believe may have resulted in contact with other potential victim-survivors.

The Met is fully focused on continually improving the support provided to victim-survivors, helping to build trust and confidence by listening, learning and taking action. This means victim-survivors are put at the centre of investigations, while maintaining a suspect-focused and context-led approach to achieving the best possible outcomes.

Anyone with information or wishing to report offences relating to Grant can call police on 101 quoting CAD3277/08JUL26. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

For confidential help, the 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line offers free phone and online chat for anyone aged 16+ in England and Wales: 0808 500 2222 or visit 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk.