John Grant, a 77-year-old former church deacon and moderator, has been convicted of 11 sexual offences against four vulnerable young men spanning more than four decades. The abuse took place between 1970 and 2012, and police believe there may be many more victims.
Grant, who lived in Hornsey, was a senior figure at the Muswell Hill Baptist Church and held roles at several other churches and youth groups across the UK, including in Stockton-on-Tees, Barnsley, and Airdrie. He also served as a preacher at the London Baptist Association.
“Former church deacon John Grant convicted of 11 sexual offences against four young men over more than 40 years.”
The investigation began in 2023 when a victim came forward to report that Grant had repeatedly sexually assaulted him over a 30-year period. The abuse had started in 1994 when the victim moved into a shared house with Grant, who began offering massages. The victim felt pressured into massages involving sexual touching, which continued until he moved out in 1998. However, he returned to the address in 1999, where the abuse resumed and continued until 2012.
Following that complaint, officers launched extensive enquiries to identify organisations, youth groups, and churches connected to Grant. They uncovered further victims, all vulnerable young men who had been systematically groomed through coercive control and behaviour before being sexually assaulted.
At Wood Green Crown Court, Grant was convicted 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, which is scheduled for 11 September.
Detective Constable Liam Levy, who led the investigation, praised the victims for their courage. “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,” he said. “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.”
Police are now appealing for any further victims to come forward, fearing that Grant’s lengthy association with churches across the UK may have left a larger trail of abuse.
