John Grant, 77, a moderator and preacher at the London Baptist Association, has been convicted of carrying out 11 sexual attacks on four vulnerable young men between 1970 and 2012. The Metropolitan Police now believe there may be many more victims due to the nature of his offending and his lengthy association with churches across the UK.
Grant's positions and locations
Grant was a senior figure at Muswell Hill Baptist Church and had links to Billingham Baptist Church in Stockton-on-Tees, Ward Green Baptist Church in Barnsley, Broomsknoll Church of Scotland in Airdrie, and several youth groups in north London. He also served as a church deacon and youth leader.
How the abuse came to light
Police first became aware of Grant's offending in 2023 after a victim reported being repeatedly sexually assaulted over a 30-year period. The abuse began in 1994 when the victim moved into a shared house with Grant, who began asking whether the complainant wanted massages. The man rejected these offers but felt pressured into massages involving sexual touching, which continued until the victim moved out in 1998. He returned to the address in 1999, and the abuse continued until 2012.
Following this discovery, officers launched extensive enquiries to identify organisations, youth groups, and churches connected to Grant, leading detectives to identify further victims. Across all complainants, Grant systematically groomed vulnerable young men through coercive control and behaviour before sexually assaulting them.
Conviction and sentence
Grant, of Hornsey, was convicted at Wood Green Crown Court of three counts of sexual assault, six counts of indecent assault, and two counts of causing another person to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity. He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on September 11.
Police appeal for more victims
Detective Constable Liam Levy, who led the investigation, said: 'This is a deeply distressing case involving a number of non-recent sexual offences, and I would like to recognise the courage and bravery shown by the victim-survivors in coming forward and putting their trust in us.'
'This conviction would not have been possible without their accounts that were provided in the early stages of the investigation, which helped identify the scale of Grant's prolific offending across more than four decades.'
'The victim-survivors were vulnerable young men who put their trust in Grant through his church association, and it is devastating they could be taken advantage of in this way.'
'As this case demonstrates, the Met is firmly committed to investigating all reports of rape and 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.'
