Re-Trial Of Alleged Haredi Paedophile Todros Grynhaus Begins

He jumped bail, fled to Israel on a false passport, fought deportation and then saw his first trial end in a hung jury.

And now Todros Grynhaus, a father of 10 children and the son of a prominent haredi rabbi, faces justice again. Alleged haredi paedophile Rabbi Todros Grynhaus jumped bail in Manchester and fled to Israel on a false passport almost three years ago. He was eventually spotted in Israel by someone familiar with his criminal case who reported him to British authorities.

That led to a court battle in Israel that eventually led to Grynhaus being deported back to Britain to stand trial on five counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault, all allegedly committed against two teen girls. Grynhaus’ first trial ended earlier this year with a hung jury. His re-trial began this week.

According to a report in The JC, the jury heard that Grynhaus, a 50-year-old father of 10, admitted to his cousin, a prominent haredi rabbi in Gateshead, along with another prominent haredi rabbi and and a haredi psychologist, that he had molested a 14-year-old girl in a hotel jacuzzi and admitted abusing the other girl, as well.

Grynhaus claimed “demons were going through” him “at the time” the molestations took place, but said that was close to five years before and the problem was now in his past only – his “demons” were no more. But, Grynhaus allegedly said, tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it. The Gateshead rabbi and his colleagues ordered Grynhaus to get therapy bit took no other action against him. That prompted one of the alleged victims to break a haredi community taboo and report Grynhaus to police.

He was arrested in November 2012 and charged with five counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault allegedly committed against the two girls when they were 14- and 15-years old. Grynhaus then fled to Israel using a false passport. he prosecutor, listair Webster Q, recounted the allegations and facts for the jury in his opening remarks. He told the jury Grynhaus’ behavior exposes his credibility issues. “The relevance of what I have just told you is this: when assessing what he puts forward, you are entitled to know that this is a man who was quite prepared to go to some lengths to deceive both UK and Israeli authorities. What does that tell you about his reliability and credibility?” Webster reportedly said.

The alleged molestations remained secret for years because there was a “reluctance” within the haredi community to report these types of haredi-on-haredi crimes to police. Grynhaus reportedly told police when he was arrested that if anyone in the haredi community reported alleged abuse, haredim would “ruin their lives” – i.e., would shun them and retaliate against them. Grynhaus has previously claimed there was a conspiracy against him and that the accusations and opposition to him by certain haredi rabbis were all part of that alleged “revenge plot” against him.

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