Warning: This story contains details readers may find disturbing.

Customers of an illegal Rotorua prostitution ring using girls as young as 13 have appeared in the Rotorua District Court.

Details of how the men interacted with a 13-year-old have been revealed.

Two men connected to the illegally run prostitution business died this year while their charges were before the courts.

Five men have pleaded guilty and three are to stand trial.

Five men caught up in a Rotorua teen prostitution ring bust have admitted they contracted a 13-year-old for sexual services.

The men are Shubham Choudhary, 27, from Hamilton, Felise Falanai, 31, labourer from Rotorua, Nishanth Parakudiyil Prahladan, 23, from Tauranga, Stephen James Philpott, 42, heavy tanker driver from Rotorua, and Stephen Graham Shaw, 70, farmer from Ngakuru.

Three other men have pleaded not guilty and will stand trial next year. Darby Bronson Whareaorere and another man had both pleaded not guilty but died while their cases were still before the court. Two other men had their charges dismissed.

The men who have pleaded guilty were customers of an illegal prostitution ring that used women and teen girls, some as young as 13 and 14. The prostitution ring was busted by police last year.

Clayton Fox was sentenced to eight years and five months’ jail. Photo / Andrew Warner

The pimp behind the ring, Clayton Fox, 49, from Rotorua, has been jailed for eight years and five months after pleading guilty to 18 charges relating to supplying teens as young as 13 and 14 with methamphetamine and cannabis and using underage girls in his illegal prostitution ring.

His co-accused and partner at the time, Wikitoria Pepene, 32, from Rotorua, faced less serious drugs-related charges and a charge of running an illegal prostitution business. She was jailed for three months but has since been released.

Clayton Fox and Wikitoria Pepene appearing for sentencing in the Rotorua District Court. Photo / Andrew Warner

A summary of facts released to the Rotorua Daily Post said a 13-year-old girl was groomed into creating an online account to advertise commercial sex services.

The summary said she held herself out to be 18 or 19 and that was the age advertised on the online accounts.

Fox and another man, Darby Bronson Whareaorere, 29, from Rotorua, were charged with offences that related to helping the teen to provide commercial sex services.

Darby Whareaorere when he appeared in the Rotorua District Court in January. Photo / Andrew Warner

Whareaorere pleaded not guilty to a range of charges but died in prison on April 29 before his case went to trial.

Among Whareaorere’s charges were that he assisted a minor in providing commercial sexual services and received a cash payment he knew was derived from commercial sexual services provided by a minor.

What the five guilty men did

Choudhary, Falanai, Prahladan, Philpott and Shaw have pleaded guilty to a charge of receiving commercial sexual services from a girl aged 13. The charge is laid under the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 and carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment.

The summary reveals details of how each man interacted with the teen:

Choudhary messaged the teen on February 20 last year and requested commercial sexual services from her. She declined to meet him.

About 8pm on March 17, Choudhary messaged her through an online escort website and arranged to meet her around Sala St in Rotorua.

About 9pm that night, they met and Choudhary received commercial sexual services from the teen. At midnight, he sent her a message saying “Goddess”.

On April 6, Choudhary messaged the teen again and requested further commercial sexual services from her but she declined to meet him. On the same day, he messaged her and asked to buy her underwear and socks.

When arrested, Choudhary told the police the teen told him she was 19, the summary said.

Falanai messaged the teen on February 20 last year through an online escort website.

They met at 9pm and travelled together to a discreet Rotorua location where he received commercial sexual services from her for about 15 minutes.

When arrested and told by police how old the girl was, Falanai said: “You are f**king kidding me. I don’t know what to say to be honest. What do I say to that? I feel disgusted”, the summary said.

Prahladan messaged the teen and requested commercial sexual services from her on January 20, 2023. He travelled from Tauranga and met her in Rotorua, paying $250, the summary said.

On February 20, 2023, Prahladan messaged the teen and requested commercial sexual services from her. He said in the messages his phone number appeared to have been blocked by her and they exchanged numbers again. Between April 21, 2023 and September 15, 2023, Prahladan called the teen’s number 29 times.

On March 30, 2023 Prahladan messaged an online profile that was using the teen’s images. He requested 20 minutes of commercial sexual services for $200. He didn’t receive the services as he refused to pay an initial deposit.

Philpott messaged the teen and another unknown female who was offering commercial sex services at 5.30pm on January 16, 2023. He met the teen and the unknown female at the Greenview Motel on Fenton St in Rotorua about 8.30pm and paid $600 for one hour of their services.

About 11pm on February 11, 2023, Philpott messaged the teen and arranged to meet at the Four Square carpark on Edmund Rd. Philpott paid the teen $300 for one hour of her services.

At 9.30pm on March 11, 2023, Philpott messaged the teen and arranged to meet at a Countdown supermarket. He paid $300 for one hour of her services.

The summary said Philpott told police he didn’t think she was that young.

Fox contacted Shaw at the start of 2023 saying he “had a girl for him”, the summary said. Shaw agreed to meet them and the teen was driven to his caravan in Ngakuru where he paid for and received commercial sex services.

Shaw told police he asked and was told the teen was over the legal age, the summary said.

The five men who have pleaded guilty will be sentenced in the Rotorua District Court on February 21.

Three men have pleaded not guilty to receiving commercial sexual services from a 13-year-old girl. One of them has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of unlawful sexual connection with a young person. The three men have a callover on February 19 and a tentative trial date has been set for July 21.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.

SEXUAL HARM

Where to get help:
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
• Call 0800 044 334
• Text 4334
• Email support@safetotalk.nz
• For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz
Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.