Sean Smale has been jailed for sexual offending against young boys in Rotorua and Tauranga. Photo / Andrew Warner
Sean Smale has been jailed for sexual offending against young boys in Rotorua and Tauranga. Photo / Andrew Warner
Sean Smale was said to be caring, helpful and kind.
But Rotorua District Court judge Tony Snell says he used those characteristics to get victims into his clutches and grossly exploit boys sexually.
Smale has been jailed for eight years and 11 months after he was found guilty by a jury this year of six charges for sexual offending against three boys.
The charges relate to historic offending in Rotorua and Tauranga when Smale was aged in his 30s. They include four counts of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection of a boy aged over 12 - one of which was a representative charge for when Smale offended against a boy on a weekly basis for about six months.
The other charges include doing an indecent act on a child aged under 12 and doing an indecent act on a child aged 12 to 16.
The victim of the four sexual violation charges, who read his victim impact statement to the court, yelled at Smale as the accused was led away from the dock, saying: “F*** you motherf*****. You will pay for what you’ve done. Welcome to my world.”
Earlier in the sentencing hearing, the victim read his victim impact statement through tears, saying he felt like his innocence as a child was taken from him and he felt ashamed and embarrassed of what happened and the fact he did not tell anyone, especially his mother.
After speaking out, he said he could finally have a decent shot of living a normal life.
“I really hope I have prevented any future offending against any more innocent souls.”
Sean Smale was jailed by a Rotorua District Court judge for sexual offending against young boys. Photo / Andrew Warner
In sentencing, Judge Snell thanked the victim who read the statement, saying Smale’s offending had “damaged their lives for years and years and years”.
Throughout the trial and until now, Smale had maintained his innocence but had agreed to get counselling for sexual offending as it could mean he could be released on parole earlier, Judge Snell said.
A pre-sentence report noted Smale suffered sexual abuse as a child and had issues with revealing his sexuality, only coming out as gay when he was 19.
Judge Snell described all the offending as serious, saying there was significant premeditation.
“What you did was through that behaviour of being kind, helpful and offering accommodation, offering alcohol, offering cigarettes, you groomed these children to come to your house, you got them drunk and intoxicated and then exploited them as opportunities arose for your own personal sexual gratification.”
He said while there were aspects of what Smale did with the young people that were good, when you “stood back and looked at it subjectively” it was just to groom and sexually exploit young boys.
He said it was a telling point in the trial when Smale could not provide a sensible explanation as to why he would encourage young boys to get naked when they were drunk around him - an adult man - in his home.
In describing one of the other offences, the judge said it painted a pattern of exploitation when situations arose.
“Some of it is clearly opportunistic as it arose, other is highly predatory and very clearly a breach of trust.”
After giving a 15 per cent discount for mitigating factors, Judge Snell sentenced Smale to eight years and 11 months on the lead representative charge of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.
He sentenced him to seven years on the remaining three sexual violation charges, and 12 months each for the other two charges of doing an indecent act on a child. The prison sentences are to be served concurrently.
