August 2018
Pervert, 33, who was snared by paedophile hunters after trying to meet a ’15-year-old virgin’ is jailed for two years
A man who tried to meet a girl for sex who he believed was a 15-year-old virgin was snared by paedophile hunters.
Grant Percival, 33, from Carlisle, went to a hotel in Leigh, Lancashire, to meet the youngster, but was caught in the sting by the vigilante group.
Bolton Crown court was told how he began talking with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl on social media.
The person running the fake profile told Percival they were underage and had yet to lose their virginity.
But he carried on communicating with her, and encouraged the girl to meet for sex. He even asked if the two of them could be partners.
On February 2 he travelled to the hotel believing he was going to meet his victim.
Instead, he was met by a team of paedophile hunters, and was later arrested by the police.
He was jailed for two years after admitting grooming and told he would need to serve at least 16 months before he could apply for bail.
Sentencing, Judge Timothy Clayson, said: ‘You attempted to meet a child after sexually grooming them on February 2 – a matter you admitted before the magistrates.
The facts of the case are that a fake profile for a 15 girl was set up on an adult social media site. You contacted this profile and exchanged messages.
‘You wanted to go to a hotel and wanted to engage in sexual activities with this person. You said you wanted to kiss her, have sex and for you two to be boyfriend and girlfriend.
‘The profile indicated that they were a 15-year-old virgin but you still wanted to meet.
‘As you went to the hotel in Leigh, you got there and the police had been called and you were arrested.
‘It has to be said that because you have history and the fact that you have committed an offence of this nature, I do determine that you present a significant risk to members of the public.’
The judge also handed him a sexual harm prevention order for a period of 10 years.
Update July 2016: Released to Lytham st Annes, Lancashire
January 2015
Convicted paedophile offered to go into an off-licence for a 13-year-old girl if she kissed and “snogged” him
A sex offender banned from having contact with children offered to go into an off-licence for a 13-year-old girl if she kissed and “snogged” him.
Grant Percival, 30, propositioned her after approaching a group of children in a Carlisle park. She ran off and Percival, who has previous convictions for offences including indecent and sexual assault, was arrested.
Percival, of Lyndhurst Gardens, Morton, Carlisle, was jailed for 19 months at the city’s crown court after admitting breaching a sexual offences prevention order.
Robert Dudley, prosecuting, said Percival was made the subject of the indefinite order, prohibiting him from contact with children, after an earlier incident involving a 14-year-old girl.
He had touched this girl by grabbing her hip and forcing a kiss on her lips while making sexual suggestions. Percival was also jailed for this assault.
Mr Dudley then explained the circumstances of the breach of the order, on September 18 last year.
The 13-year-old in the latest case was with friends in Melbourne Park, Botcherby.
“They were approached by a man who told them his name was Grant Percival,” said Mr Dudley.
Percival talked about “the quickest way to drown himself”, mentioned cigarettes and then walked with them to an off-licence. There he said to the girl: “If I go into the shop for you, will you kiss me and snog me?”
The girl said no. Percival then said if she “was a little bit older he’d go out with her”. She ran off and police were called.
May 2012
PERVERT HAS HIS PRISON TERM HALVED
A PERVERT who twice molested teenage girls in public in Whitehaven has had his sentence more than halved on appeal.
Grant Philip Percival, 28, was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Carlisle Crown Court in February after he admitted sexual assault, making malicious phones calls and breaching his sex offenders’ notification requirements.
But three senior judges, sitting at London’s Court of Appeal, cut that sentence to one year, meaning Percival will be back on the streets later this summer.
Judge Anthony Russell QC told the court Percival was ordered to inform authorities of his whereabouts after he was released from prison for an indecent assault on a girl in North Wales more than eight years ago. But he went off the police radar last summer, eventually turning up drunk in Whitehaven, where he approached two 14-year-old girls in the town centre, the court heard.
After offering one girl £50, some cigarettes and alcohol “for a snog”, he took the other girl behind a tree and held her by the shoulders, the judge said.
He told her: “I want to snog you because you’re really beautiful. I know I’m your type of lad. I know you fancy me.” The petrified youngster ran off, the court heard.
Lawyers for Percival, of John Street, Carlisle, claimed that, considering the offences were relatively minor and he immediately pleaded guilty, he should have got a shorter sentence.
Judge Russell ruled the prison term was more akin to that handed out for sex offences involving nudity, and reduced the overall sentence to one year.
Percival, who was identified as “posing a high risk of harm to young girls”, will be eligible for release after serving half of that.
January 2012
CARLISLE MAN JAILED FOR PESTERING PROBATION OFFICE WORKER
A Carlisle man who was on bail while he waited to be sentenced for sexually touching a teenage girl went on to pester a female member of staff at the city’s probation office.
Grant Percival, 27, formerly of South Street, appeared before Carlisle Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to a charge of harassment.
The court heard he had committed the offence while on bail from the city’s crown court, where he had admitted sexually touching a 14-year-old girl.
Prosecutor Adrianne Harris said Percival was at the probation office on January 19 for a meeting with his support worker.
He started talking to a member of the administration staff about lewd texts and, although she tried to ignore him, he leaned in and wrote messages on pieces of paper that were on her desk.
Most related to the fact that his birthday was approaching, but one said ‘you like me’, which Percival attempted to cross out.
When the woman left the Lowther Street office later that day, she saw him standing nearby.
He followed her to The Lanes shopping centre, saying he had been discussing her with his support worker. Percival said he would get in serious trouble if the woman told anyone what he was doing, then said: “I’ll come in and see you tomorrow”, and walked away.
Mrs Harris told the court: “The behaviour was unwelcome and inappropriate.”
During a police interview, Percival claimed he had been joking and was sorry for what he had done.
Defence solicitor Margaret Payne said her client had been stupid but argued that the meeting on the street was by chance, as Percival was living at a nearby hostel.
She added: “He is certainly paying for this moment of foolishness.
“He was on bail, but because of this incident they have withdrawn his bail licence and he is now in custody.”
The magistrates said Percival’s latest offence was so serious that a prison sentence was the only option.
He was jailed for 28 days, plus another four because he had outstanding court fines.
Percival will appear before Carlisle Crown Court on February 10 to be sentenced for his assault on the girl.
July 2003
Sex assault youth gets nine months
A 19YEAROLD youth who indecently assaulted a school girl after she accompanied him to his home was sent to a young offenders’ institution for nine months yesterday.
Grant Percival, formerly of Tan y Marian, Llanddulas, Colwyn Bay, who had moved recently to North Wales from Carlisle, must also register as a sex offender for five years. He had admitted the offence.
The case had been adjourned previously for a psychiatric report. Defence barrister John Lovelady told Caernarfon Crown Court that Percival had “serious problems”. His mental age was lower than his actual age.
But Judge Huw Daniel said, “He knows it’s wrong to interfere with little girls. Everyone knows that, even a man of his intelligence.”
Sentencing Percival the judge told him, “You were given a chance of showing you could behave properly when you went to the probation hostel at Bangor.
“But you broke the rules there. You were drinking certainly on two occasions, perhaps more, and you did other things as well which cause me some concern bearing in mind the nature of the offence to which you pleaded guilty.
“You have to understand this condition which you suffer isn’t something you can hide behind.”
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