In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Patrick Grant, then 69, was sentenced to eight years in prison at Inner London Crown Court. On Thursday, 11 April 2019, Grant was jailed for a series of non-recent sexual assaults committed against young boys in children’s homes during the 1970s and 1980s.
The investigation established that Grant worked as a “house father” at residential homes, including Fircroft Children’s Home in Surbiton, Surrey, Rowan House (part of Shirley Oaks) in South Norwood, London, and Walker House in Cardiff, South Wales. He was convicted of eight counts of indecent assault on three victims who bravely identified him by his distinctive appearance and his interest in playing the piano.
Abuse of Trust and Co-Defendant Involvement
The court heard harrowing details of how Grant and his co-defendant, Philip Collins, then 73, worked together to exploit children. Collins, the head of Fircroft Children’s Home and a part-time special police constable in Esher, Surrey, was convicted of five counts of indecent assault. In one appalling incident, Grant was assaulting a boy in a bathroom when Collins walked in; instead of intervening, the head of the centre joined in the assault.
The victims reported that when they threatened to tell others, Grant and Collins systematically ridiculed them, telling the children that “no one would ever believe” them. Collins was further linked to the crimes by his habit of wearing multiple gold rings—a detail remembered by a victim and confirmed by home videos, despite Collins’ claims that he only ever wore a wedding band.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his reprehensible crimes in Surrey, London, and South Wales, Patrick Grant was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Eight years in immediate custody.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were imposed for life.
- SHPO: An indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to curb his future activities.
Philip Collins, who had previous convictions for similar offences against children in other homes, was remanded for sentencing at a later date in April 2019. The court reported that the victims’ testimony was essential in bringing these predators to justice decades after their campaign of abuse.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Grant is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by the relevant police forces in Surrey and London. His history of institutional abuse and his position as a “house father” mean his status remains under critical scrutiny.
As a lifetime member of the Sex Offenders Register, Grant must comply with strict notification requirements regarding his address and movements. Police state that the successful prosecution of these men provides a degree of closure for the survivors of the Shirley Oaks and Fircroft legacy. Any breach of his registration conditions or his indefinite SHPO following his eventual release will result in his immediate return to Inner London Crown Court.
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