Frank Parese: Clarence Valley man, 45, guilty of sexually abusing men and women with cognitive impairments

A North Coast meth addict sexually assaulted multiple men and women, including some with cognitive impairments, in a raft of “sadistic” offending. Here’s what happened in court.

Parese appeared at Downing Centre District Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

A North Coast meth addict sexually assaulted multiple men and women, including some with cognitive impairments, a court has heard.

Clarence Valley man Frank Parese appeared over videolink at Downing Centre District Court for a sentencing hearing on Friday.

The 45-year-old preyed on men and women in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

Parese watched a large amount of violent and degrading online pornography and visited 589 websites between late September and early December 2018, the court heard.

Parese made an unsuccessful bid for bail in 2021. File image.

He is due to be sentenced after being found guilty of multiple charges including 20 counts of aggravated sexual assault against someone who has a cognitive impairment, multiple counts of having sexual intercourse with a person who is cognitively impaired, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, choking, aggravated robbery and being armed with intent.

The sexual offending involved four victims and occurred over three separate time frames.

Parese has a lengthy criminal history involving matters of dishonesty, but no record of sexual offending.

He was on parole for unrelated offences at the time of some of his offending, Grafton Local Court heard during a failed bail bid in 2021.

The prosecutor in that court labelled Parese’s offending as “sadistic sexual violence”.

They also told the court of almost 10 arrest warrants issued across NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory when Parese failed to appear in the past.

Parese had a criminal record involving offences of dishonesty, but not sex offending.

On Friday, psychiatrist Dr Gerald Chew told the court Parese suffered significant abuse when he was younger and became addicted to the drug ice.

Defence barrister Anthony Parsons said Parese, a father, lived with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma, which should be taken into account.

Parese has mobility issues and required a back operation last year, the lawyer added.

Parese appeared visibly emotional at times during the hearing.

Judge Nicole Noman reserved judgement until March 14.