Third Internet child pornography conviction in a week

13/02/2003

The Christchurch District Court today saw New Zealand’s third Internet child pornography conviction in a week.

A 20-year-old Christchurch student pleaded guilty to two charges of trading child pornography and two charges of possession of child pornography.

The General Manager of the Department of Internal Affairs’ Gaming and Censorship Regulation Group, Keith Manch, said that on Tuesday an Auckland man was sentenced on one charge in the Waitakere District Court, and last week a Palmerston North man, who had boasted he could not be caught, was sentenced on 11 charges.

“We most definitely can catch New Zealanders who choose to trade child pornography, and will continue to do so,” Mr Manch said.

The latest conviction was the fourth in New Zealand this year and the 15th in the last 12 months.

Also, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) yesterday confirmed that they had arrested a Montreal man who had been detected trading child pornography by one of the Department’s Inspectors. The Department had passed the information to the RCMP.

Today, the New Zealander was sentenced to 100 hours community work on the two trading charges, and was convicted and discharged on the possession charges. The Court also ordered forfeiture and destruction of the computer and all material seized.

In October 2001 a Department Inspector had detected a New Zealander operating in an Internet relay chat channel dedicated to trading child pornography. The New Zealander was using the nickname “Drew5937” and stated that he liked pictures of girls aged between seven and 11 years.

“Drew5937” was identified as the defendant and in March 2002 a search warrant was executed. The computer, CD ROMs and floppy disks were seized following the search.

In June 2002 the Department received information from United States Customs that a New Zealander using the nickname “drew5937_w” had traded child pornography with an Ohio man who they had arrested. That trading had occurred in March 2001.

The Department interviewed him in July 2002 and he admitted that he was “drew5937_w”.

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