REGINALD PRATER SHOCKS YATE WITH CHILD ABUSE IN MORRISONS CAR PARK

In August 2013, a disturbing incident unfolded in the quiet town of Yate when a pensioner was caught engaging in sexually abusive behavior in a supermarket parking lot. The individual, identified as 78-year-old Reginald Prater, was observed by staff at the Morrisons supermarket performing a sex act in the back of his vehicle with a partially dressed young girl. The staff, upon noticing this inappropriate activity through a window, promptly alerted authorities, leading to a police investigation that uncovered a disturbing collection of illicit material on Prater's computer.

Authorities found that Prater possessed a staggering 1,940 images of extreme pornography, all involving adult subjects. The investigation revealed that he had given the young girl, who was under ten years old, a lift in his car. When questioned about his actions, Prater initially claimed that he was helping the girl because she needed to use the toilet, a statement that was met with skepticism during the court proceedings.

Prater, residing on Somerset Avenue, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including engaging in sexual activity with a child, sexual touching of a child, and possessing extreme pornography. His guilty plea was accepted by the court, which sentenced him to 18 months in prison. Judge Geoffrey Mercer QC expressed his concern about the motives behind Prater's behavior, stating, “What led you to behave in this terrible way at your age, I’m not sure you really know. To your family, it must, I expect, be incomprehensible and devastating. But what you did to this girl who was in the back of your car was a terrible thing.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Prater was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years. He was also subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which was designed to prevent him from having unsupervised contact with children in the future. The court heard that Prater had shown signs of exhaustion prior to the incident, and he expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he did not want to look at a computer again. His defense attorney, David Miller, emphasized that Prater had never exhibited inappropriate behavior before and described the incident as an isolated, one-off event caused by an overwhelming urge.

Prosecutor Susan Cavender highlighted the gravity of the case, emphasizing the betrayal of trust involved in the incident. The court's decision reflected the seriousness of the charges and the need to protect vulnerable children from potential harm, especially considering the disturbing nature of the evidence and the defendant's admitted guilt.