Media Release 16 February 2007

Prison sentence for possession of child sex abuse images

Keeping a collection of child sex abuse images has resulted in a 5 month prison sentence for a 32 year old Wellington man.

Judge Rushton in the Wellington District Court also ordered Jonathan Williams to undertake the Wellstop programme designed to reduce the risk of sexual offending. Williams was granted leave to apply for home detention.

Department of Internal Affairs censorship inspectors first noticed that Williams was making available objectionable computer files using the file sharing application Kazaa on 15 July 2005.

A search warrant was executed on Williams home address in October 2005 and Department inspectors found in excess of 2,000 objectionable files stored on his computer. Of these 114 were located in Kazaa.

The images on Williams’ computer primarily depicted female children from six to 12 years engaged in sexual acts or posed in sexualised poses.

When the defendant was asked why he had the images available on Kazaa he stated, “It’s the old you get told you can’t, so you do. I’m not into children or anything. You are told you can’t do it, so I did.”

The Department of Internal Affairs Deputy Secretary Keith Manch said internet users who share or view child sex abuse images are perpetuating the abuse itself.

“The tragedy of child sexual abuse includes the pictures and videos being made as children are abused, and encouragement for more abuse as collectors want bigger and more extreme collections.

“This is not about images on a computer. It is part of New Zealand’s commitment to international efforts to help prevent the abuse of children.”

ENDS

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