GRENVILLE BLOWER: NORFOLK SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS FOR ABUSE OF YOUNG GIRLS
A notorious sex offender from Norfolk, Grenville Blower, has been handed a substantial prison sentence of 14 years following his conviction for a series of heinous crimes spanning several decades.The 66-year-old, who resided on Lexham Road in Litcham near Dereham, was found guilty of abusing three young girls over a period that stretched from the 1970s through the 1990s and into recent years, specifically between 2017 and 2021.
Blower had consistently denied allegations that he had sexually assaulted three victims, all of whom were either pre-teen or teenage girls at the time of the abuse.
The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior that persisted over many years, prompting the judge to describe him as a dangerous individual with a persistent and repeated history of offending.
During the sentencing at Norwich Crown Court, Judge Katharine Moore emphasized the severity of Blower’s actions, stating, “I regard you as a dangerous offender with a pattern of persistent and repeated behaviour.
Plainly you are sexually attracted to pre-pubescent and young pubescent girls.” Blower was convicted on ten counts of indecent assault.
The first victim recounted that she was subjected to abuse on multiple occasions, some when she was under 13 years old and he was 15, and others when he was over 18.
Prosecutor Philip Farr described the activity as “repeated and persistent,” occurring on “several occasions.” The second victim was assaulted multiple times in the 1990s, with Blower touching her when she was just 14 years old.
The third victim, significantly younger, was between six and 11 years old when she was abused by Blower, who was then in his 60s.
One of the victims delivered a heartfelt statement, revealing that she has “cried myself to sleep thinking about what he has done to me.” She expressed that recalling the events makes her “upset,” and since the abuse, she has been “scared of old men,” uncertain whether they might harm her in similar ways.
Another victim shared her struggle to come to terms with her trauma, explaining that she had tried to “bury so, so deep” what happened because she believed “no one would believe me.” She described her life as being in “utter turmoil” due to what she called the “monster” who had inflicted such pain upon her.
She emphasized that the “horrific events” and the “devastating ordeal” would stay with her forever.
Yet another victim revealed she had kept her abuse secret for decades, lamenting that she wished she had the courage to come forward sooner.
Her testimony underscored the long-lasting impact of Blower’s crimes.
Judge Moore noted that a probation report characterized Blower as “high risk” and in denial about his offending.
She pointed out that the passage of time complicates assessing his maturity, as he began offending at age 15 in the 1970s.
However, from the age of 18 onwards, his culpability was deemed “highly culpable.” In addition to his prison sentence, Blower was ordered to be subject to a 20-year sexual harm prevention order.
The judge highlighted that his “sexual interest in young girls remains undimmed,” indicating ongoing concerns about his potential for reoffending.
Stephen Mather, representing Blower, described his client as a “simple man” who is “not in the best of health” and experiencing prison life for the first time.
Mather acknowledged that Blower understands he needs to be punished but insisted that these crimes were “the only offending” he had committed.
Blower is set to serve nine years in prison, followed by five years on licence, and will be required to register as a sex offender indefinitely, under the notification requirements imposed by the court.
