The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
‘Manipulative’ boss targeted teenager
BUSINESSMAN JAILED AFTER HE OFFERED TO BE GIRL’S ‘SUGAR DADDY’
A Well-known local businessman told a teenage girl he could be her “sugar daddy” as he groomed and abused her.
Former company boss Grant Findley targeted the underage girl repeatedly over a period of two months, Durham Crown Court head.
Findley, 42, was jailed for three years after a jury found him guilty of 10 counts of sexual activity with a child and one of meeting a child following sexual grooming.
Her Honour Judge Joanne Kidd said Findley displayed a ‘profoundly cynical and manipulative pattern of behaviour’ in an attempt to have the ‘moral upper hand’ should his victim complain about his behaviour.
She said: “You were on the face of it a generous and kind man. That reputation masked your abuse of (the victim).
“As time went on, you started to suggest she was a troublesome teenager. You created a narrative so in the event that she did make any complaint about your conduct you would have the moral upper hand.
“It would have been clear to you that (the victim) was extremely uncomfortable in your presence. A profoundly cynical and manipulative pattern of behaviour.
“The idea that (the victim) had any interest in you came from overwhelming arrogance on your part.”
The court heard how Findley, of Stream Valley Farm in Burnhope, County Durham, touched or kissed the girl on 10 occasions over a period of two months in late 2021.
Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said: “The defendant told the victim she couldn’t tell anyone about what he was doing because he knew it was illegal. He made attempts to isolate her and identify her as a troublemaker.”
Findley also told the victim that when she turned 16 she “wasn’t allowed” a boyfriend, and told her that when she started having sexual activity it should be with an older man. The court heard that during one offence, Findley pushed the victim onto a bed and said he could be her “sugar daddy”.
“He pushed her on to the bed and started kissing her”, said Mr Cleasby. “She couldn’t get up.”
The victim came to court to read a victim impact statement in person.
She told how Findley’s abuse had left her with post-traumatic stress disorder.
She said: “I find it difficult to trust people, especially men. I now struggle to sleep, suffering repeated nightmares. I have felt tired constantly and I’m always thinking about what Grant did to me. It made me feel dirty. My anxiety is so bad I can’t face opening the door.”
And the victim’s mother also made a statement about what Findley had done to her family.
She said: “As a family we are constantly
worried for each others’ safety. My relationship with (the victim) through all of this was really bad. But thankfully we have been able to rebuild our relationship.”
Jamie Hill, mitigating, said Findley,
who continues to deny all the offences, had now lost everything.
“He is 42 years of age with no convictions prior to this,” he said. “A man who came from fairly humble beginnings who through hard work created a very successful business. He is a man who has worked hard throughout his life. There is a reasonable perspective that this was a one-off situation. He is a man who previously had positive good character.
“The consequences for him have been far-reaching. He has suffered a very public humiliation. He has received a lot of online threats. His family has received threats and so has his workforce. There was at least one van set on fire. He’s had to close the business, he effectively had to give it away.”
As well as the prison sentence Findley was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and an indefinite restraining order to keep him away from the victim and her family. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £10,826.