Paedophile dance teacher Grant Davies jailed for at least 18 years

GRANT William Davies, who sexually abused nine children over more than a decade, has been jailed for a least 18 years in what a judge described as “predatory and persistent” offending.

A PAEDOPHILE dance teacher who groomed ambitious parents so he could sexually abuse nine children over more than a decade has been jailed for a least 18 years in what the sentencing judge described as “predatory and persistent,” offending.

Grant Davies, 42, kept his eyes fixed on District Judge Jennie Girdham as over three hours she outlined his 13 years of abuse against students at his RG Dance Studio in inner-west Sydney which one groomed mother who was later jailed described as, “like a cult.”

Davies has been jailed for at least 18 years. Picture: AAP/Dan Himbrechts

Davies was sentenced for 28 sex offences against eight girls and one boy, all aged between 9 and 15, with the court hearing that victims felt pressured to comply so they weren’t placed in the back for performances.

Ms Girdham said even after police investigated him in 2007 following a complaint which did not result in charges Davies continued to abuse his students.

One victim whose mother was jailed in 2014 for sending sexually explicit photos and videos of the girl and her sister to Davies said she thought he would make her a star.

“I didn’t want to do the videos and photos but I thought that was the only way I would become a professional dancer,” she said.

Dance instructor Grant Davies pleaded guilty to charges relating to child sex offences over 13 years.

She told investigators he threatened to remove her from the front row if she didn’t comply.

Her mother told authorities that the dance studio became an “obsession,” and she “may have been attempting to live her own dreams through her children”, Judge Girdham read.

The court heard Davies sexually assaulted victims at his home, during private dance lesson and in one instance chased a girl, aged 11 or 12, around the studio before assaulting her.

In a sickening explanation for his abuse Davies told a psychiatrist he was, “caught up in wanting them to be the best.”

Grant Davies, 42, was a director of inner-west dance RG Dance studio. Picture: Facebook

The sentencing judge described Davies’ offending as “predatory and persistent”. Picture: Facebook

Davies made an unsatisfactory attempt to express remorse for his campaign of abuse against the students.

“I thought that there was an emotional connection between me and them I liked being special to them and them to me...it took losing everything to understand, but at the time I saw it as a special relationship that was great and also meeting needs for me,” he said.

In an unusual move Judge Girdham chose to deliver her sentence at the beginning of the hearing before reading out her lengthy reasons.

A handful of victims held hands together as they heard Davies would be sentenced to 24 years with 18 years non-parole.

Judge Girdham said she took into account the fact Davies pleaded guilty on the eve of his scheduled trial last year thereby saving his victims having to give evidence against him.

Outside of court a spokeswoman for the victims said the sentence was far more than the 10 years the victims had expected but it did not alleviate their suffering.

“Certainly 24 years is a long time but I’m sure it is nothing for the victims and their families but for a lot of the other people involved it is better than what we had predicted.”

Originally published as Paedophile dance teacher Grant Davies jailed for at least 18 years