ANDREW GRANT FROM TRANENT CAUGHT IN EAST LOTHIAN PAEDOPHILE HUNTING OPERATION

In April 2019, a disturbing case unfolded involving Andrew Grant, a resident of Tranent in East Lothian, who was caught engaging in online grooming activities targeting young girls. The incident came to light when a dedicated paedophile hunting team uncovered his illicit communications, leading to his appearance in Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Andrew Thomas Grant, who was employed as a security guard for Royal London in Edinburgh, faced serious allegations after he was found to have contacted what he believed were two underage girls, aged 12 and 14, through online profiles. These profiles, however, were not genuine but were operated by members of a paedophile hunting group aiming to catch individuals like Grant.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Grant had sent highly sexualized messages to the fake profiles, including a video of himself masturbating. His communications included disturbing claims, such as telling one of the girls that he had engaged in sexual acts with his own daughters’ 12-year-old friend, and falsely claiming that his daughter and her friend touched him sexually. These statements were later confirmed to be fabricated.

Throughout the exchanges, Grant made it explicitly clear that he was interested in engaging the girls in sexual activities. Despite his explicit messages, the girls he contacted were not real but were part of an undercover operation conducted by paedophile hunters. The team, based on their location, passed the chat logs to another specialized group called ‘Protecting All Innocent Souls’. This team confronted Grant directly on February 20, 2019, and questioned him about his online behavior.

During the confrontation, the team challenged Grant on his apparent justification for speaking to young girls in such a manner. The situation escalated when the team contacted the police, leading to Grant’s immediate arrest at the scene. He was subsequently remanded in custody and held in prison until his sentencing hearing.

At the court, Grant pleaded guilty to the online grooming offences. The judge sentenced him to a community payback order requiring 160 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, a two-year supervision order was imposed, and Grant was ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of five years. This case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and community groups to combat online child exploitation and protect vulnerable minors from predatory individuals like Andrew Grant from Tranent in East Lothian.