GRANT PERCIVAL FROM CARLISLE AND WHITEHAVEN SENT TO PRISON FOR GROOMING AND SEX OFFENCES

In August 2018, Grant Percival, a 33-year-old man originally from Carlisle, found himself at the center of a serious criminal case involving grooming and attempted child exploitation. Percival had engaged in a disturbing online conversation with what he believed was a 15-year-old girl, who was actually a fake profile created by vigilant paedophile hunters. The fake profile claimed to be a young girl who had yet to lose her virginity, and Percival continued to communicate with her despite being warned of her underage status.

The conversation escalated as Percival encouraged the girl to meet him for sexual activities, expressing his desire to kiss her, have sex, and even to become her boyfriend. On February 2, he traveled from Carlisle to a hotel in Leigh, Lancashire, under the impression that he was about to meet his young victim. However, instead of the girl, he was met by members of the paedophile hunting group who had set up the sting. The police were called, and Percival was promptly arrested at the scene.

During the subsequent court proceedings at Bolton Crown Court, Percival admitted to grooming the girl and attempting to meet her for sex. He was sentenced to two years in prison, with a minimum of 16 months to serve before he could apply for bail. Judge Timothy Clayson emphasized the gravity of his actions, stating, “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-year-old 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 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.”

The judge further noted that Percival’s history and the nature of his offenses posed a significant risk to the public. As part of his sentence, he was also handed a sexual harm prevention order that will remain in effect for ten years. The court’s decision reflects the serious concern over his repeated offending behavior and the potential danger he poses to young people in the community.

Prior to this incident, Percival’s criminal record included a series of disturbing offenses. In January 2015, he was convicted of offering a 13-year-old girl a chance to kiss and “snog” him in exchange for going into an off-licence store. This occurred after Percival approached a group of children in a Carlisle park, where he made sexual propositions and was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to 19 months in prison for breaching a sexual offences prevention order, which had previously been imposed following an earlier assault on a 14-year-old girl. That earlier incident involved Percival grabbing the girl’s hip and forcing a kiss, along with making sexual suggestions.

In 2016, Percival’s sentence for public sexual offenses in Whitehaven was halved on appeal. Originally sentenced to two and a half years at Carlisle Crown Court, the sentence was reduced to just one year by three senior judges at London’s Court of Appeal. The reduction was based on Percival’s guilty plea and the relatively minor nature of the offenses, which included approaching two 14-year-old girls in Whitehaven town center and attempting to entice them with offers of money and cigarettes, as well as making inappropriate comments and trying to engage them in sexual activity.

Further back, in January 2012, Percival was convicted of harassment while on bail for a separate sexual offense. He had been waiting to be sentenced for touching a teenage girl when he proceeded to harass a female staff member at Carlisle’s probation office. He wrote lewd messages and followed her to a shopping center, threatening to get into trouble if she told anyone. He was sentenced to 28 days in jail plus an additional four days for outstanding fines.

His criminal history also includes a 2003 conviction for indecent assault on a schoolgirl, for which he received a nine-month sentence and was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years. The court at the time noted his mental health issues and his understanding that such behavior was wrong, but emphasized that he knew it was unacceptable to interfere with young girls.

Throughout his various convictions, Percival’s actions have demonstrated a pattern of predatory behavior towards minors, leading to multiple prison sentences and court orders designed to restrict his contact with children. His latest conviction and sentencing highlight the ongoing concern about his risk to the community and the importance of strict legal measures to prevent further harm.