A Feilding sex offender, who was the victim of a violent vigilante assault, has been jailed for abusing three young boys.

Peter Ivan Potroz, 64, beneficiary, was yesterdaysentenced to seven years' jail on four charges of indecent assault, three of sodomy and two of inducing an indecent act.

Palmerston North District Court heard yesterday that Potroz offended against three boys, aged “6 or 7”, 8 and 10, between 1978 and 1982 in Taranaki.

The first victim came forward to police in 2007, and earlier this year a jury found Potroz guilty of nine charges and cleared him of six.

Despite opposition from Crown prosecutor Miriam Sinclair, Judge Les Atkins decided he had to take into account a severe beating Potroz suffered in August 2010 from two people unrelated to the victims.

The vigilante pair - Katrina Maree Uncles, 41, unemployed, of Paraparaumu, and Feilding mechanic Grayson Weaver, 40 - were both jailed for the vicious assault on Potroz, which they committed after they learnt of the charges he was facing.

Potroz had befriended Uncles' 14-year-old son but there are no allegations he offended against that boy.

Defence lawyer Tony Thackery said Weaver's explanation for his role in the attack on Potroz was he was “doing a public service” and he would do it again. “Uncles and Weaver have robbed the victims because this is about the victims.

"It's not the Weaver and Uncles show,” Mr Thackery said.

Potroz suffered significant injuries in the attack and was still facing another operation.

Uncles and Weaver had kicked down Potroz's front door. Potroz slapped Uncles in the face before Weaver punched him. Potroz hit a chest of drawers as he fell and was then beaten around his head.

A noose was placed around his neck and pulled tight.

When police arrived they found Potroz slumped on the floor and bleeding, with the noose still in place. Potroz spent a week in intensive care.

He had multiple fractures to his face and jaw, including nerve damage to his left eye.

Plastic surgery was required to repair some of the wounds and several metal plates were inserted into Potroz's face and near his eyes.

Judge Atkins told Potroz that what he did to the three young boys was worse.

“I want to say to you immediately that the damage suffered by them at your hands is more serious in terms of its long-term effects than what you suffered from the attack,” the judge told Potroz.

A pre-sentence report noted that Potroz did not accept any wrongdoing and as he left the dock yesterday he waved to his victims.

In return he got an icy stare.

Two of the victims, now in their 40s, read statements to the court.

One said he occasionally sank into bouts of depression and felt like killing himself or others.

“He took away my ability to be a 10-year-old boy,” another victim said.

That man said he now felt suspicious when people innocently looked at his own children.

- © Fairfax NZ News