December 2010 Pensioner jailed for sex offences A TEENAGER had written to a magazine asking for advice because she was suffering sexual abuse when her mother spotted the letter by chance, a court heard. When confronted with the girl’s allegations, Robert Grant immediately confessed. Now the 71-year-old has been locked up for nine years after admitting offences dating back to the early 1980s. Grant, of Blackthorn Close, Braishfield, admitted two counts of rape, one of indecent assault and a sample count each of indecency with a child and indecent assault. Judge Patrick Hooton said he took into account that Grant had admitted the allegations at the first opportunity but told him he had caused “untold anguish”. David Jenkins, mitigating at Southampton Crown Court, said Grant accepted it was entirely his own fault.