An unrepentant pedophile was sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison last week in Manchester for seven sex assaults against young girls from1996 until 2004,
Todros Grynhaus, 50, attempted to flee to Israel in 2013 under that country’s “Law of Return,” but Israel’s Supreme Court rejected his application and extradited him back to the UK last September to be tried for his crimes, saying “We [Israel] are not going to be a repository for Jewish criminals from other countries.”
Publically, Grynhaus, from Salford, was known as the son of London rabbi Dayan David Grynhaus, as a Jewish scholar, a businessman, and the father of ten children, who was respected in Salford’s close-knit Haredi community. But privately, Grynhaus unleashed “profound and lasting harm” on his young victims living in Greater Manchester, according to the judge who sentenced him.
At sentencing, Mr Justice Holroyde called Grynhaus an “utter hypocrite” and blasted him for his “wicked actions,” saying, “All the offenses involved a grave breach of trust. Both were vulnerable by reason of their young age. You took cynical advantage of their vulnerability.”
He noted that the abuse had “profound and lasting harm” on the young women, both of whom are in counseling, and that “their personal relationships had been severely affected.”
“You have in addition, harmed them in their religion,” the Justice continued. “This was a refined degree of cruelty on your part, and you knew what harm you would cause. You are an utter hypocrite. You professed your religion whilst giving yourself license to abuse those who were under your care.
The evidence at trial was that the Haredi community is changing its attitude to allegations of sexual abuse, and is becoming more willing to acknowledge that such crimes require investigation by the police. I was glad to hear that evidence, and I was glad to read after the trial the wise words of the Chief Rabbi making emphatically clear that allegations of this nature must be taken seriously and must not be hidden away from outside investigation.”
Grynahaus was charged with trying to force one teenage girl into performing a sex act, telling her “you might as well make yourself useful.” Over the next three years, that same girl was repeatedly abused by Grynhaus, who took her to a hotel, and groped and molested her in a Jacuzzi. Another young victim was abused at the hands of Grynahus for three months.
Both victims have been “ostracized” by the Haredi community since their testimony. Said one victim, “We live in a relatively small community - he made sure everyone knew it was me making these ‘ridiculous allegations of abuse.’ Be under no illusions as to the toll this has taken on our standing in the community. We were ostracized by many parts of this community and even gave serious consideration to moving away from the country.
“Not once but twice I had to endure the humiliating experience of going through my statement in court. I had to relive the traumas and recount all the filthy” things he did to me. His holy friends even sat in court, adding to my embarrassment, trying to make me even more humiliated and uncomfortable than I already was. I had to defend myself from allegations I was making the whole thing up.”
The other victim said her entire life has been “tainted by his touch.” “I’m constantly afraid,” she said. “His position in the community means my entire belief system is lost. He was a respected teacher, his activities were ignored by rabbis - how can I belong to the community when people like that are still in power?”
Grynhaus lawyer Jonathan Goldberg QC, said his client had undergone treatment in Israel for his “tendencies to misbehave” and that he was now “older and wiser.”
Goldberg also downplayed Grynhaus’ crimes, describing them as, “touching, kissing, interference, and a great deal of generally inappropriate and smutty behavior.” He added that Grynhaus’ crimes were “at the mild end of the scale” since he did not use violence or force against his victims, and allegedly stopped when asked by the young girls to do so.
Goldberg asked the judge for leniency, saying, “Part of the punishment for this man is of course the shame and exposure and social ostracization within his own community.” Goldberg continued, “Jail time is hard time for Haredi Jews. They have a very distinctive appearance, their daily routine involving as much prayer as it does, is distinctive and they receive unwelcome attention from other inmates. Unless they are lucky enough to find a person of the same persuasion in their immediate custody they find it difficult to make friends or pass the time the way other prisoners can. He is now on the vulnerable prisoners’ wing and is incarcerated for 23 hours a day on the wing.”
Grynhaus is required to compensate his victims in the amount of £45,000 for the first victim, £35,000 for his second victim, and an additional £35,000 for prosecution costs.
The repeat sex offender maintained his innocence throughout both trials, the first of which ended in a hung jury; the second yielding a conviction. Grynhaus only admitted his culpability after being found guilty.
