PAUL MCGRANAGHAN SENTENCED IN SKIPTON FOR MULTIPLE SEX OFFENCES AGAINST FIVE VICTIMS

In a significant case that has shocked the community of Skipton, a 51-year-old man named Paul McGranaghan has been convicted and sentenced to a lengthy prison term for a series of serious sexual offences committed over several decades. The verdict was delivered at Bradford Crown Court after a trial that spanned nearly two weeks, during which the jury carefully examined evidence related to eight separate charges involving five female victims.

McGranaghan, who previously worked as a supermarket employee, showed no visible emotion as he was led away to the cells following his conviction. The court heard that his crimes spanned from 1980 to 2014, a period during which he engaged in a disturbing pattern of sexual abuse and assault against young girls and vulnerable women. The offences included two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a girl under the age of 13, as well as inciting a nine-year-old girl to engage in sexual acts with him. The jury also found him guilty of three counts of raping a young woman in her late teens, sexual assault on another female, and engaging in sexual activity with a child.

Prosecutor Ian Brook detailed the disturbing history, revealing that McGranaghan had repeatedly engaged in sexual acts with a girl aged 12 when he himself was a teenager. He also recounted how McGranaghan persistently pressured another young girl to have sex with him, causing her to flee in fear. The court heard that in 2014, McGranaghan committed three offences of raping a vulnerable young woman. Additionally, he attempted to kiss another girl, professing his love for her, and kissed a different girl, commenting on her beauty.

Judge Robert Bartfield, presiding over the case, addressed McGranaghan directly during sentencing. He emphasized that the defendant’s persistent denial of all allegations had compelled the victims to testify against him, a process that caused them considerable distress. The judge noted that if not for the legal principle of totality, which considers the overall context of multiple offences, McGranaghan might have faced a life sentence. Instead, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for the rape offences, with the sentences for the remaining charges to run concurrently. Furthermore, Judge Bartfield ordered McGranaghan to sign the sex offenders register for life, underscoring the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community of Skipton.