Raymond Garry Westeneng (53) was jailed for three years in 2016 after pleading guilty to 30 charges related to possessing and sending objectionable material.
The defendant told police he spread the illegal images and videos to gain credibility with a group of paedophiles so he could increase his own collection.
Westeneng visited internet chat rooms about twice a week over a four-year period from April 2011. He would find chat forums with names such as "incest chat" and engage in discussions with others about the sexual abuse of children and the sharing of related publications.
The communication would later move from the chat room and on to sharing platforms, where Westeneng would view others' illicit material, distribute objectionable publications and download whatever took his fancy.
It was estimated the defendant distributed, on average, 12 publications a week, amounting to more than 2496 objectionable publications over the four years.
His deviant activities were stopped in 2014 when a police officer from the United States posed in a chat room as the mother of a child.
Westeneng said he would like to see the child being sexually violated by a male on live web camera in exchange for hardcore child pictures.
When police raided his home, forensic analysis of the seized devices uncovered 1400 images and two videos of children being exploited.
Westeneng saw the Parole Board in October last year after completing the child sex offender treatment programme but was denied early release because he needed to work on his release plan.
Corrections assessed whether an extended supervision order, which would allow it to keep tabs on the defendant long after his sentence ended, would be pursued but eventually decided not to make the application.
When Westeneng saw the Parole Board last month he addressed a psychological assessment from last year which raised "some concerns during treatment around his motivation to address his deviant arousals".
But the inmate convinced them he had addressed those issues.
Westeneng wrote to the board: "I don't want to underestimate or minimise my risk ... I have to manage myself for the rest of my life."
"He was able to identify his early warning signs and has in place strategies to manage those early warning signs. They include seeking help. At this stage, it appears as though that help may come largely from professionals. He sees one of his challenges will be to build up his network of social support," board convener Martha Coleman said.
The board granted parole, believing Westeneng did not pose an undue risk to the community between now and October.
It imposed conditions on his release, which will run until April next year:
•To attend Kia Marama (child sex offender treatment programme).
•To attend a psychological assessment and treatment as directed.
•Not to move from a specified address without the permission of Probation.
•Not to stay away from home overnight without the permission of Probation.
•To inform Probation of any changes in employment.
•Not to contact or associate with anyone under 16 without an approved adult in attendance.
•Not to use or possess any internet-capable device unless supervised by a pre-approved adult.
•To make available any internet-capable device for Probation to monitor.