August 2023

Pervert who hid in Manchester Airport toilets walks free from court

A pervert walked free from court after being given a “last chance” by a judge.

Adrian Grace had hundreds of videos of men on his phone that he had recorded in public toilets without them knowing. 

A court heard that he “could not control himself” and that his latest conviction follows an incident at Manchester airport on December 8 last year.

The 54-year-old was however told he must go to an accredited programme for sex offenders and 30 rehabilitation days.

He will sign the sex offenders’ register for seven years and was issued a new sexual harm prevention order banning him from airports, except for pre-arranged travel, and with restrictions on being able to use devices.

On August 21, Manchester Crown Court heard Grace entered the toilets at Terminal 2 arrivals at around 11am that day with two mobile phones.

Prosecuting, Tobias Collins, said that Grace positioned himself in a cubicle, waited for someone to arrive in one of the next cubicles, before placing his phone underneath the dividing wall to record his victims.

One of his victims asked “are you taking pictures of me?”, to which Grace replied “no I’m not”, Mr Collins said. Grace was then accused of moving to a different cubicle while his victim “searched the immediate surroundings” in a bid to find him

After being unable to find Grace, the victim contacted the police, who arrested Grace at the scene and confiscated his phones. Mr Collins said officers examined the phones for evidence before finding “hundreds of videos taken by the defendant in public places”, dating between January 2019 and the day of his arrest.

Grace, from Salford, was arrested again at Manchester Airport on May 15 this year, at around 7.10am, for a further offence of voyeurism carried out while on bail. Mr Collins said the defendant admitted his offences to police.

He said: “[Grace] explained he had gotten drunk on the evening of December 7 with a friend. He carried on drinking and was not sure how he got to the airport.”

Grace told police that he took the pictures for “his own sexual gratification” and he knew “what he was doing was wrong.” Mr Collins told the court Grace “felt disgusted by himself” and that he “could not control himself”.

Most of the footage was shot at Manchester Airport, while some videos and pictures were filmed on trips to Romania and Belgium. A statement from one of Grace’s victims, read by Mr Collins, said: “I will now feel nervous and have to check the toilets every time I use them.

“I will be very wary from now on. I don’t know who this person is.” The victim added: “It’s very disturbing that this person could have intimate photos of me which he has no right to have.”

Grace admitted three offences of voyeurism at Manchester Magistrates Court on May 16, dating between January 23, 2019, and May 15 this year, before his case was moved to Manchester Crown Court. The court heard Grace had eight previous convictions following 14 offences.

They included two voyeurism convictions in 2007, one in October 2013 when he was issued an ASBO related to his behaviour, and further convictions in November 2014 and May 2018. Mr Collins said ‘all these cases’ involved Grace entering public bathrooms and recording people.

The judge admitted Grace’s latest offending followed ‘a string of previous convictions for the same offence’ and breached his ASBO.

He described Grace, of Fram Street, Salford, as a voyeur who “does not appear to respect the privacy of fellow human beings” and someone who “does not appear to understand the seriousness of court orders”.

Grace, wearing a grey suit with red tie and his short hair spiked up, wept as he told the judge “thank you” after being told he would not be going to prison.

Judge Field KC told the court there were “400 videos on the phone” and reflecting on Grace’s previous convictions, he said: “There are far too many of them.”

The judge added: “I have to have regard to the fact that since I released you on bail you have taken positive steps to address your offensive behaviour because, quite frankly Mr Grace, it has got to stop – and it has got to stop here.” Grace replied: “I know, your honour.”

Judge Field KC continued: “I hope you do, because I repeat: this is your last chance.” He issued Grace with a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Grace was also ordered to pay costs of £510 and required to be monitored for alcohol abstinence for 60 days. As he told Grace he was free to leave, Judge Field KC said: “I sincerely hope that we never meet again, at least not in these circumstances.”