Jailed for child sex abuse images

5 February 2010

A 38-year-old Whangarei mechanic was yesterday jailed for two years and two months for possessing and distributing images of children being sexually abused.

He was sentenced in Whangarei District Court after pleading guilty to 19 charges of possessing and two of distributing objectionable publications.

Last week in the Dargaville District Court a Waipoua man pleaded guilty to 34 charges of possessing objectionable material and received four months’ community detention and 200 hours’ community work.

Internal Affairs Deputy Secretary, Keith Manch, said the Department has referred the Dargaville case to the Solicitor General to consider an appeal over the sentence.

Both cases resulted from investigations by the Department. The Whangarei man was located after a censorship inspector discovered him on the Internet offering an objectionable movie involving two naked 10-12 year old girls. The Department seized five computers and accessories from his work and home. The Waipoua man was tracked down through payments he made to an international child sexual abuse website.

“These cases are further examples of how the Department monitors certain activity on the Internet and works with other international teams to track down people who trade in this material,” Keith Manch said. “No matter what you do, everything’s traceable on your computer. No matter how long it takes, you will be caught, brought before the courts and punished.”

Media contact:
Keith Manch, Deputy Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 04 495 9329; cell 021 227 6363

Trevor Henry, communications adviser, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 04 495 7211; cell 0275 843 679