A former senior Australian diplomat propositioned a
15-year-old New Zealand boy for sex, a Melbourne court was
told.
John Alphonse Cornelius Finnin, 53, offered financial
incentives to the boy in exchange for sex, telling him they
would have "a secret together", The Sydney Morning
Herald reported.
Finnin was found guilty last month in Victorian County Court
of 23 charges of entering into an agreement for the provision
of sexual services by a child, using a carriage service to
groom a minor, procure a minor for sex, and transmitting
child pornography.
An Australian Federal Police agent, Svetlana Palmer, tendered
a copy of an internet chat session between Finnan known as
"Johnno", and "tinyass15" from New Zealand.
During the chat, "Johnno" discussed visiting New Zealand in
May 2007 to see the boy and paying him for sex.
"I promise if I like you, I will keep coming and paying for
you. We will have a secret together."
The court was told that after the chatroom session, Finnin
viewed web pages including a New Zealand holiday guide.
The jury heard other evidence that Finnin recorded personal
details of under-age boys he met online.
The Herald said that the Australian Trade Commission
told Finnin he was under police investigation for alleged
child sex offences, and allowed hime to resign quietly.
Finnin held a top-secret security clearance from the Federal
Government until July 2006, at a time it was alleged he was
involved in an international child sex ring. No charges were
laid on this matter.
Austrade was told Finnin was suspected of using his
diplomatic status and access to Australian embassies around
the world to traffic in young children for sex.
The newspaper said the government agency later took the
unusual step of recalling Finnin from Germany - where he was
deputy consul-general and head of trade for Europe, the
Middle East and Africa - and informed him that he was under
investigation.
