Police conducted a forensic search for potential human bones outside a notorious "horror house" in Luton, Bedfordshire, where one of Britain's most prolific serial paedophiles groomed and abused children. The disturbing operation has been revealed in a new documentary episode airing tonight.
The Depraved Crimes of Carson Grimes
Carson Grimes, now 69, was originally jailed for at least 22 years in October 2021 following a seven-year police investigation. He was convicted of attacking nine young people at his Luton home, where he preyed upon vulnerable individuals by pretending to be their friend. Grimes would invite victims to his property, ply them with alcohol and cannabis, then subject them to horrific sexual abuse.
The predator's modus operandi involved offering substances to his victims before expecting sexual acts in return. He also sexually assaulted them while they slept, demonstrating a calculated pattern of exploitation that spanned decades.
New Victims Emerge After Documentary
Following the broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary episode about Grimes's initial sentencing in 2021, several new victims courageously came forward over subsequent months. This revealed the true scale of his criminality was far more extensive than originally feared.
In June 2025, Grimes received another life sentence at Luton Crown Court after pleading guilty to 24 new charges relating to 13 additional victims. These offences dated back as far as 1987, indicating his predatory behaviour had continued for nearly four decades.
The Garden Dig Investigation
The latest development involves a former neighbour of Grimes who contacted emergency services after discovering what she believed to be large bones in her garden, adjacent to the property where the paedophile drugged his victims. This prompted Bedfordshire Police's rape and serious sexual offences team to launch a fresh investigation.
Detective Inspector Clare Gilbert, Sergeant Jason Keir, and Detective Sergeant Billie Scholten visited the scene as captured in exclusive footage. Examining paving slabs and rubble both on and beneath the grass, DI Gilbert expressed her suspicions about potential burial sites.
"That rubble could also be some kind of burial site," DI Gilbert observed. "If I was to bury a human corpse I think that's what I would do. I wouldn't just put soil on the top, I think I would put bricks and rubble because you don't want it to come to the surface do you? That makes me think what are they trying to hide?"
When asked about their course of action, DI Gilbert responded decisively: "We are going to dig it, that's the plan." The team subsequently carried out the excavation but found no bones, leading them to close that particular element of the case.
Ongoing Manipulation from Prison
Detectives discovered that despite his incarceration, Grimes maintained contact with some victims and was suspected of attempting to manipulate them from prison to prevent them from testifying against him. This demonstrated his continued predatory behaviour even behind bars.
DI Gilbert described Grimes as "a classic Jimmy Saville" who abused children "under everyone's nose" while maintaining a facade of respectability. She expressed her belief that there could be "hundreds of victims" given the duration and pattern of his offending.
Victim Impact and Testimonies
The documentary features powerful testimonies from Grimes's victims as they prepared to attend his second sentencing hearing. One victim named Michael stated: "I just want him to know that he's not a part of my life anymore. He's not at the back of my mind. I was going to look him in the eye, yeah, just to let him know that he haven't got away with it."
Another victim called Patrick described his nervousness about facing his abuser after 38 years: "Obviously you never forget that, what's happened to you. It's always going to be there. For me, it's to stop blaming myself really. I hid for 38 years. But I'm not doing it no more."
Victim impact statements read at the sentencing hearing revealed the profound and lasting trauma inflicted by Grimes. One victim described how the abuse had affected every aspect of their life since adolescence, leading to mental health struggles, suicide attempts, ruined relationships, and estrangement from family members.
Police Response and Sentencing
Detective Chief Superintendent Zara Brown, head of Bedfordshire Police's crime and public protection unit, described Grimes as "one of the most depraved predators that we have come across." She emphasized that all victims "have carried the trauma he inflicted on them well into adulthood" with many experiencing "long-term emotional and psychological harm."
The judge at Grimes's sentencing expressed the hope that he would "not see the light of freedom again," reflecting the severity of his crimes and the danger he continues to pose to society.
Grimes, previously of Dumfries Street in Luton, is now serving at least 22 years and nine months in prison before being considered for parole. The new documentary episode, 24 Hours in Police Custody: Burying Horror, airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 4, providing unprecedented insight into one of Britain's most disturbing child sexual abuse cases.
