A VIOLENT drunk who committed scores of brutal rapes against two women and a child is likely to die in prison after being locked up for 27 years.

Charles David Pratt, 71, from Skipton, will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence before being considered for parole, by which time he will be almost 90 years old.

Sentencing him at Bradford Crown Court His Honour Judge Ahmed Nadim said: “The damage that you have inflicted upon each of your victims is immeasurable.

“They are deserving of the gratitude of this court and society as a whole for the courage they’ve shown in reporting you to the authorities and in bringing you to justice, and in the process re-living the most painful of memories.”

Pratt, of The Farm, Keighley Road, Skipton, was convicted after trial of multiple counts of rape, plus one count of attempted indecent assault against a “helpless” child.

The court heard that many of his attacks were fuelled by alcohol. On one occasion he punched a woman in the stomach, causing her to need hospital treatment.

Another vulnerable victim, who was punched and kicked as well as suffering extreme sexual assaults, attempted to take her own life.

Pratt would laugh and ridicule his victims as he raped them.

The court heard that Pratt was of previous good character but that that was only because previous complaints made against him in 2011 did not lead to prosecution.

Judge Nadim said: “In short Charles Pratt, you are a violent and callous man. In order to meet your perverted sexual needs, you do not recognise and respect any societal or moral boundaries. As a result of your conduct three lives have been blighted.”

Describing him as a Category A2 offender, he sentenced Pratt to 27 years for each of the counts of rape, all to run concurrently, plus three years for the attempted indecent assault, also to run concurrently.

There will be an additional period of licence of one year.

Judge Nadim added: “The effect of the sentence that I have imposed you is that you will serve a total of two-thirds of the custodial term in custody before your case is referred to the parole board for consideration on whether and on what terms it is safe for you to be released.

“In your case this means that you will serve at least 18 years imprisonment before that reference to the parole board can take place.”