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Eric Prattley
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Sexual violation (x4) indecent assault of four boys aged 12-16 (x3), doing an indecent act on a young person (x3), and attempted sexual violation, all in Timaru between 1991 and January 2006
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.
none known
Born 1960
Prison
Sentenced to 7 years with a 3 year 6 month non-parole period in September 2007
Release possible March 2011
Background
Timaru Herald, Tuesday, 11th September 2007
A former South Canterbury man who was abused as a child has received a seven-year prison term for sexual offences involving four adolescent boys.
Eric Rowland Prattley, 47, was sentenced by Justice John Hansen in the High Court at Timaru yesterday. Prattley was due to go on trial last week, but changed his pleas before the trial began, pleading guilty to three charges of indecent assault on boys aged between 12-16, four charges of sexual violation, three charges of performing an indecent act on a young person and attempted sexual violation. The offences related to four young victims, some of whom Prattley had known since they were babies. The offending occurred between the early 1990s and January last year.
Prattley had manipulated vulnerable young boys, Ian Murray (for the Crown) told the court, adding it was difficult for the boys to complain as Prattley was a respected family friend. Mr Murray noted the pre-sentence report stated Prattley had little insight into the harm his offending had caused. An unusual aspect of the case was the boys continued to visit Prattley and in spite of living with their parents or guardians, had not told the adults of the offending, Prattley's counsel Pip Hall told the court.
He noted Prattley had always been willing to plead guilty to some of the offences at an earlier stage but had not considered some of the offending to be as serious as the victims had indicated to police, therefore was initially hesitant to plead guilty to all charges. Prattley's lack of insight was something only counselling could address, Mr Hall said. In spite of that he was extremely remorseful for what had happened, and had offered to make payments of $5000 to each of the victims. There had been no suggestion of him offending on bail. He had become a Christian and had been supported by those in the church he had attended. Prattley was keen to undertake a sex offenders programme while in prison.
Justice Hansen said aggravating factors included Prattley being a trusted friend of the victims' families, and a mentor to the boys, taking them fishing and hunting. He had groomed the boys, showing them pornographic material and giving them alcohol before the offending took place. Victim impact reports indicated the incidents had been traumatic for all four boys, impacting on every aspect of their lives. That was likely to continue for many years to come. Prattley had told the probation officer he had never forced the boys into anything, and considered they were happy to join in the fun. He considered two of the boys were in need of solace which he was able to offer.
The report spoke of Prattley coming from a violent and dysfunctional home and having had a violent father. Prattley himself had been sexually abused when he was at primary school. The pre-sentence report spoke of there being a high chance of him reoffending unless there was extensive intervention. It also concerned Justice Hansen that Prattley was attempting to transfer blame with comments such as suggesting the boys had been happy to keep visiting him and had not told their families. There was no question of the boys having consented to such behaviour. While the abuse of trust was not as severe as in a priest-parishioner or teacher-pupil situation, he had very much taken advantage of the trust he had as a family friend.
Justice Hansen considered a starting point of nine years in prison for the most serious offences, sexual violation. Taking into account his guilty pleas and other factors, he reduced that sentence to seven years. Prattley received a four-year sentence for the attempted sexual violation, and 18 months for the indecent assaults. All terms of imprisonment were to be served concurrently. Justice Hansen found the usual minimum length of sentence was insufficient, and ordered he serve a minimum of half his sentence. Prattley was ordered to pay $5000 reparation to each of the victims
The Timaru Herald 4th September 2007
A former South Canterbury man due to go on trial for sexual offences involving four adolescent boys changed his pleas moments before the High Court trial was due to begin in Timaru yesterday. Justice John Hansen told waiting jurors he had only learned Eric Rowland Prattley, 47, intended changing his plea, 10 minutes before the trial was due to begin. Prattley pleaded guilty to four charges of sexual violation, three charges each of indecently assaulting a boy aged 12-16 and doing an indecent act on a young person, and one charge of attempted sexual violation.
Prattley was convicted of all charges and remanded in custody for a probation report and to appear for sentence in the High Court at Timaru on Monday. The offending took place at various locations including the Orari Holiday Park which Prattley began developing in 1999. The offending occurred between 1991 and January 2006.
Over that time Prattley befriended the victims and their families. In some cases he had known the boys all their lives. Prattley would take the victims on fishing and shooting trips around the South Island, staying overnight in huts and caravans.He acted as a mentor for the boys and was considered a trusted and respected family friend. Prattley would buy the boys gifts, show them pornographic videos and supply them with alcohol, as part of the grooming process that he used prior to sexually abusing the boys.
The offending occurred when the boys stayed with Prattley overnight. He would often enter the victims' rooms, get into bed with them and perform indecencies on the boys, or have them perform indecencies on him. The first complainant was indecently assaulted every couple of weeks over a six month period. The second complainant was 12 when the abuse began. It was systematic and occurred on a regular basis for two years. Prattley showed some of the complainants pornographic movies when they stayed at the holiday park.
After seeing a movie, one victim awoke the next morning to find Prattley lying beside him in bed, naked. The next day the defendant took the victim and another boy hunting, with them staying in a hut that night. Prattley got into one boy's bed and indecently assaulted him. The boy stayed at the holiday park after the hunting trip. The defendant got into bed with him, masturbating him. Afterwards the Prattley would always ask the victim to masturbate him, but the boy refused.
Shortly after the first indecent assault on the boy Prattley gave him an expensive gift, telling him he would need to repay him. That night when the victim went to bed he woke up with the defendant committing an indecency on him. Other gifts followed. Over a two year period the defendant performed oral sex and masturbated the victim on numerous occasions. Prattley also forced the victim to masturbate and perform oral sex on him many times.
Another boy was aged about 12 when Prattley started abusing him. The abuse began early in 2001 and continued through to December 2003. The sexual abuse started one night while the victim stayed at the holiday park with the defendant. Prattley came into the victim's bedroom, got into bed with the victim and removed the victim's boxer shorts. The offending was similar to the other boys had experienced. The most recent offending involved a 14-year-old boy who was assaulted repeatedly between May 2005 and January 2006.
On three or four occasions the defendant showed the victim pornographic videos. Prattley then sexually abused the victim when he went to bed. When spoken to by police, Prattley admitted indecently assaulting the most recent victim but offered no explanation for his actions. He refused to make any comment regarding the three earlier victims.
