GRAHAM MANICOM AND JOHN BANCROFT EXPOSED IN LONDON AND WALTHAM ABBEY SEXUAL EXPLOITATION SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of London and Waltham Abbey, two brothers, John Bancroft and Graham Manicom, have been found guilty of heinous crimes involving the sexual exploitation of teenage girls. The case, which unfolded over several years, revealed a pattern of manipulation, grooming, and abuse carried out through online platforms and in person.

John Bancroft, aged 68 and residing on Chestnut Avenue in Buckhurst Hill, used popular dating applications such as MyLol to create fake profiles. His primary target was vulnerable girls aged between 13 and 18 years old, whom he lured with false promises of “sugar daddy” arrangements. Between 2016 and 2017, Bancroft engaged in a calculated campaign of deception, falsely presenting himself as an older, affluent man to attract young victims. He would lie about his age and manipulate these girls into believing they were entering into consensual arrangements, all the while exploiting their vulnerabilities for his own gratification.

According to court proceedings at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Bancroft’s communication with victims was intense and persistent. Once he received a reply, he would swiftly transition the conversation from the dating app to WhatsApp, where he would bombard the girls with up to 100 messages daily. This relentless messaging was part of his grooming process, designed to build trust and dependency.

Some of the victims eventually agreed to meet Bancroft in person. In exchange for money, gifts, or food, they were coerced into performing sexual acts, which included group sex and sadomasochistic activities. Bancroft would take these girls to various hotels across the country, sometimes staying overnight, and at other times driving them to remote locations for sexual encounters. He also took some victims to his own home, further entrenching his control over them.

The criminal activities extended beyond physical meetings. Bancroft was found to have taken indecent images of the girls and shared these images via messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. He also sent explicit photographs of himself and persuaded the victims to reciprocate with similar images, further perpetuating the cycle of exploitation.

Guilt was established not only through the evidence of online communications and photographs but also through the testimony that emerged during the trial. The police investigation was triggered when one of the victims’ sisters grew suspicious of an online contact and reported her concerns. This led to a thorough investigation that uncovered the extent of Bancroft’s criminal activities.

On December 13, Bancroft was convicted on multiple counts, including four counts of rape, meeting a child following sexual grooming, paying for the sexual services of a child, attempting to cause or incite sexual exploitation, and attempting sexual communication with a child. His trial, which lasted seven weeks, revealed the full scope of his predatory behavior. Prior to the trial, Bancroft had pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to a child during sexual activity and to 14 counts related to the possession, distribution, and taking of indecent images of children. During the second week of proceedings, he further admitted to 15 additional charges, including paying for sexual services and attempting to communicate sexually with a minor.

Graham Manicom, aged 62 and residing on Hyde Mead in Waltham Abbey, Essex, was also implicated in the case. He pleaded guilty to two counts of paying for the sexual services of a child. His involvement was linked to his brother’s activities, and he was sentenced to four years in prison.

The court’s decision to impose a 25-year extended sentence on Bancroft was based on its assessment that he poses a significant risk of causing serious harm to the public in the future. The case highlights the dangers of online grooming and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable young people from exploitation and abuse.