Sex offender replaced stolen bike to groom victim, court told A SEX offender who befriended a teenage boy and his family by replacing the boy's stolen bicycle went on to groom the boy and sexually assault him, a court heard today. Leonard Charles Fatchen, a former council worker, pleaded guilty in the County Court to four counts of indecent assault committed on three separate teenage boys between July 1983 and April 1985. Prosecutor Patrick O'Halloran told Judge Gabriele Cannon that on a date in 1983 a local newspaper published the story about the 13-year-old victim's bike being stolen. " (Fatchen), who was not previously known to the victim or his family, attended the victim's home address and provided him with a replacement bike and accessories worth over $400," Mr O'Halloran told the court. From this point (Fatchen) engaged more with the victim's family. He visited the family home often and was viewed by the victim as "part of the family." (Fatchen) took the victim on day trips, paid for all the activities whilst away and bought the victim many gifts. Fatchen, then aged 30, took the boy on a trip to Traralgon to collect two bikes for the victims" two younger sisters. While staying in a motel with the boy overnight, a naked Fatchen indecently assaulted the teen. He sexually assaulted the boy on other occasions, including one time while taking the teenager "prisoner" as part of a war game, the court was told. Fatchen also indecently assaulted two of the teenage boys" friends on separate occasions in bedrooms, Mr O'Halloran said. The first victim made a complaint to police in 2011, and the other two went to police last year. Fatchen was jailed in the late 1980s for separate sexual offences committed on young people, the court heard. In relation to the current charges, Mr O'Halloran said Fatchen, now aged 60, had breached a position of trust with the first victim and his family and involved himself in "grooming behaviour." Mr O'Halloran submitted that a jail term of two to three years with a 12 to 18-month minimum was appropriate. Defence counsel Olivia Trumble conceded the breach of trust. She said her client had completed sex offender programs while in jail last time and while on parole. Ms Trumble said Fatchen had not committed any sex crimes since he was last released from jail. Citing mitigating factors including Fatchen's guilty plea and remorse, she urged the judge to impose a suspended sentence. Judge Cannon will sentence Fatchen on April 19.