Lecturer guilty of internet sex assault

Gray met his victim through a gay internet chatroom

A church youth club leader and Oxford scholar has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy he met through a gay internet chatline.

Cardiff Crown Court was told that 31-year-old theology lecturer Anthony Gray, from Bicester in Oxfordshire, told his wife he was going on a business trip - and then drove to Cardiff where he took the boy to a hotel where he assaulted him.

Police found 3,000 gay images of teenage boys

Remanding Gray in custody until sentence, Judge David Morris told him it was "inevitable" that he would receive a lengthy custodial sentence.

He told him: "I have come to the view you came to Cardiff with deceit in your heart and lust in your loins."

The six-day trial heard how Gray had met the 14-year-old Cardiff boy after logging on to a gay website.

They chatted about 20 times before arranging to meet in Cardiff, where Gray was due to attend a business meeting.

The court heard that even though the meeting had been cancelled Gray - who was married with a baby daughter - decided to still make the 200-mile round trip from his home.

The jury were told the two went to the cinema before booking into the Travel Lodge hotel in the city centre.

I have come to the view you came to Cardiff with deceit in your heart and lust in your loins

Judge David Morris

Gray, who denied the charges, said that sex did not take place.

The boy later went to the police about what had happened after being confronted by his parents about a phone bill for his computer line.

He denied touching the boy and told the court: "I was just trying to help him. He was obviously confused. I told him I was openly gay and could help him.

"I wanted to be somebody who could give him counselling and advice.

"Looking back now the decision to come down to Cardiff and to meet him was the worst decision I have ever made in my life."

The jury took just over two hours to find Gray guilty of two serious sexual offences.

Gray booked into a hotel in Cardiff city centre

Judge Morris said it had been a "pre-planned exercise" and that he had "wreaked his sexual satisfaction on a young and vulnerable boy", while knowing full well he was underage.

Sentencing was adjourned for reports to be prepared.

Throughout the trial, Gray was portrayed as an active churchgoer who ran a local youth club with his wife Gemma.

The court heard he had gained a first-class honours degree in theology from Exeter University.

It was during his time at Exeter that he met his wife, who was also an active member of the university's religious community.

He then went to Oxford University and became a Doctor of Philosophy.

Religious books

After leaving Oxford he became a lecturer for the University of Colleges of Christian Fellowship.

Gray and his wife, a clinical psychologist, were active members of the local baptist church, and ran a church youth club for 13 to18-year-olds.

Giving evidence Gray said that he started struggling with his sexuality five years ago after seeing images of gay pornography on a borrowed computer.

He described his home life as "happy and content" but found that he was excited by the gay pornography.

When police raided the house after his arrest in August they found 33 gay videos, hundreds of magazine cuttings and 3,000 gay images of teenage boys downloaded on to his computer.