Preston pet shop paedophile avoids jail for sexually assaulting underage boys
The victims of a former Preston pet shop owner who sexually assaulted boys as young as 10 tracked each other down on social media to expose the paedophile nicknamed “Happy”.
North
Don't miss out on the headlines from North. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A paedophile Preston pet shop owner who molested two boys he lured to his store with cash, treats and pet birds has avoided a jail sentence.
Alan “Happy” Walker sexually assaulted his victims while owner of the Plenty Rd pet shop, on the corner of Wood St, between 1975 and 1977.
His first victim was 11 when the offending began.
Walker offered his second victim work after the boy, 10 when the offending began, came to his store to look at the birds.
Walker gave him an “open can of Coke” which caused the boy to feel “funny” and “in and out of it and could not move”, a court heard.
Walker told his victim he could teach him “how to skin a fox” before he molested and committed lewd acts on the boy.
Walker gave the boy $20 before sending him on his way.
Later, Walker “threw some change” at the boy while he played pinballs at the popular fish and chip shop next door.
Walker sexually assaulted the boy at the fish and chip shop at least once.
He also approached one boy who had just left the Preston baths, drove him to a different location and molested him.
The victims tracked each other down via Facebook in 2016.
Walker was arrested in August, 2016 but denied molesting the boys and “talking about skinning rabbits and foxes with anyone”.
Walker, 84, was sentenced in the County Court on Monday to 26 months’ prison wholly suspended for 26 months after pleading guilty to three counts of indecent assault against a male.
Judge Susan Pullen said Walker’s victims had “suffered considerably”.
“There is an aspect of breach of trust in particular (with the first victim),” she said.
“The age disparity between yourself and your complainants also was significant.”
Judge Pullen also highlighted an incident where Walker took a victim to a house had a “level of planning”.
One victim said he has had trouble coping and found it “hard trusting adults especially those in authority”.
The other victim via a victim impact statement said he felt “betrayed as a child” and “taken advantage of” by Walker.
MORE TEEN CHARGED WITH ONE-HIT PUNCH ON OFF-DUTY COP
MAN KIDNAPPED, HELD CAPTIVE WITH FOOD, WATER FOR 45 HOURS
GOLDILOCKS BURGLARS FORCE MUM AND SON TO MOVE HOUSE
It affected his intimacy with partners and caused him to avoid physical contact of any kind.
He said he felt restless “most of the time” and sometimes found it hard to work.
The boy also experienced difficulty concentrating at school and as a result suffered physically, emotionally, psychologically and socially.
Judge Pullen noted Walker’s “good prospects” of rehabilitation, his age and poor health and he had not committed any sexual offending since 1975 as all relevant considerations when sentencing.
She also noted he was unlikely to have contact with children due to his age.