Jeffrey Prest, 59, ‘systematically sexually abused’ three unsuspecting young boys, leaving them ‘utterly traumatised’ by the sordid crimes he committed, Hull Crown Court heard
A serial sex offender who cultivated a kind “persona” called “Gentle Jeff” figure has been sentenced to 23 years behind bars after targeting three young boys for horrific sexual abuse. Jeffrey Prest “systematically sexually abused” the unsuspecting youngsters, leaving them “utterly traumatised” by his actions.
The appalling abuse left the victims suffering with severe, Hull Crown Court was told. Prest, 59, of High Street, Hull, refuted a string of sexual charges, including rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child, but was found guilty by a jury on all counts following an eight-day trial in January.
Judge Kate Rayfield stated that Prest “systematically sexually abused” the boys, sometimes offering them inducements, including payments of £50. He “projected a persona” of being a “friendly” local pillar of the community known as “Gentle Jeff”.
This facade granted him “unfettered access” to carry out sexual crimes against the three youngsters. “All three continue to be utterly traumatised by what you did,” Judge Rayfield told him.
“The effect on each of your victims has been, and remains, profound. They have each suffered severe psychological harm. This was a complex investigation involving the tracing of witnesses all over the country.”
Dale Brook, defending, said: “Where there are denials, there is very little, if anything, that I can say in mitigation.”
The court was entitled to conclude from the evidence that there was grooming behaviour by Prest. “My instructions are that none of that happened,” said Mr Brook.
Prest suffered from a series of health problems. “Those issues are likely to deteriorate over the many years that he will be in prison,” said Mr Brook.
“He is not sleeping and, perhaps unsurprisingly, he is finding prison very, very difficult, indeed, which perhaps one should.”
Prest had been on bail during the trial but, after the verdicts, he was remanded in custody to await sentence. He had no previous convictions.
Prest will have to serve two-thirds of the prison sentence before the Parole Board could be asked to consider whether he could be released. He will be on extended licence of one year if he is released.
He will have to register as a sex offender indefinitely.
David Godfrey, prosecuting, told the trial that Prest groomed and sexually abused the three young boys during a series of incidents after “latching on” to them. “The shame these three boys feel oozes through their accounts,” said Mr Godfrey.
“They came to court to put their demons to rest. They are all saying very similar things.” The victims were “utterly believable” and were “telling the truth” about what happened.
“The overriding emotion that these three feel is shame – the memory of being abused in awful ways,” said Mr Godfrey. “That has tortured them. They have not come forward out of spite.
“They have come forward as they have carried the burden of this abuse all of their lives, not being able to shake it off and wanting to look forward, not back. They have shown extraordinary bravery.
“They were groomed. They have got nothing to feel shame about. It comes through in spades, the shame. That’s exactly what Prest was banking on, that the boys would take it to the grave.
“They have stood up to be counted and they have held him to account.”
Prest alleged that there had been a “conspiracy” and that the victims had “got their heads together”, but there were a “number of telling similarities in their accounts” about what happened to them.
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It was “identical sexual abuse” that occurred “independent of each other” to the boys. “These are not concocted stories,” Mr Godfrey stated.
“It’s the truth of what happened to them. They are victims of the same crimes carried out by the same man. Any suggestion that this was a deliberate hatchet job is nonsense and not borne out by the evidence.
“It was entrenched. Any opportunity he got to do it, he took it.”
During his defence testimony, Prest was “pouring scorn” on the key figures in the case. He was a “sexual deviant” who exploited the shame felt by the boys to use as his “protective shield”.
Prest had portrayed himself in court as “Gentle Jeff” and a “great guy” with “loads of friends”, yet he was revealed to be a “highly manipulative man masquerading as a good guy”. The “Gentle Jeff” persona was merely a “disguise” for his “systematic” abuse.
“There is only one liar in this case and that’s Jeff,” declared Mr Godfrey. “These boys haven’t come to court to gang up on Jeff and lie.”
Throughout the trial, Prest maintained that none of the offences occurred and that the boys were fabricating lies about him and had concocted false accounts.
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