Two men sentenced for trading child sex abuse images

29/01/2004

The North Shore District Court today sentenced two more New Zealanders for trading child sex abuse images on the Internet. One of the men, aged 18, was granted name suppression.

The older man was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling $6,750 and the 18-year-old was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling $960. Both were put on supervision for 24 months during which time they must attend a sex offender treatment programme. The Court ordered forfeiture and destruction of their computers and objectionable material.

Jude Wilson said that he accepted that it was a high test to grant name suppression and that other Judges had declined to grant it to young offenders but in the circumstances of this case he found it was appropriate.

The General Manager of the Department of Internal Affairs’ Gaming and Censorship Regulation Group, Keith Manch, said the men the 3rd and 4th offenders sentenced in this country this year.

Last year, the Department’s investigations resulted in 26 New Zealanders being convicted of collecting or trading child sex abuse images, more than in any year before. In addition, the Department has another 20 to 25 child cases before the courts at any one time.

“If New Zealanders choose to continue trading or collecting images of child sexual abuse then we will eventually catch them,” Mr Manch said.

The Department also frequently provides intelligence reports to overseas agencies, which have led to many arrests in other countries.

Media contact:

Keith Manch
General Manager Gaming and Censorship Regulation Phone 04 495 9449, Cellular 027 445 6420

Vincent Cholewa
Communications Advisor Phone 04 495 9350, Cellular 025 272 4270