A Dunedin man posed as a teenager online to deceive nearly 40 children into sending him explicit images of themselves. Thirty-seven-year-old Logan Thomas Knox’s stash of child sexual abuse material , which he had been collecting for about six years, was only discovered when he flew to Australia. On February 11 last year, Knox, a lab manager, was stopped at Sydney International Airport and detained for a baggage search, including examination of his cellphone. During the search, border security found texts between Knox and a 13-year-old, as well as child exploitation material depicting that child. The phone was seized and Knox was sent back to New Zealand. That discovery ultimately led to his appearance in the Dunedin District Court this week after he earlier admitted 14 charges including possessing objectionable publications, making objectionable publications and grooming. After the discovery, police executed a search warrant at Knox’s home. In total, 595 photos and 247 videos were found on his devices. The court heard the defendant had posed as a teenager when contacting other young people and children via the social media platform Snapchat. Through his deception, he obtained 105 explicit photos and videos of the young people he was contacting. He also sent explicit images of himself. Knox had downloaded other objectionable publications, including some depicting bestiality. At sentencing, counsel Sarah Saunderson-Warner suggested home-detention should be imposed, while the Crown argued prison should be the final outcome. Knox’s lawyer acknowledged the offending was serious, but highlighted the “compelling” mitigating factors. “He has done, since this offending, absolutely everything he can,” she said. The defendant had been attending a sex offender intervention programme for eight months, engaged with his GP and wrote an insightful letter of remorse, Ms Saunderson-Warner said. She also pointed out the defendant’s prior good character. “He’s a 37-year-old man with a master’s degree who has much to contribute to society,” she said. Judge Emma Smith acknowledged the defendant had put in a lot of work since the offending came to light, but was of the “firm view” imprisonment was the appropriate sentence. She highlighted the lengthy period of offending and the 37 victims involved. The defendant had been well-regarded by his peers and was supported by his family in court at sentencing. “When this offending was discovered it was, simply put, shocking to those around you,” the judge said said. She said Knox’s remorse was genuine, “not manufactured or curated”. “The letter you wrote is incredibly insightful as to the extraordinary harm that you effected to all victims,” the judge said. Judge Smith sentenced Knox to two years and six months’ imprisonment. Because of his sentence, the defendant would automatically be added to the Child Sex Offender Register. The devices on which the objectionable publications were found were ordered to be destroyed. felicity.dear@odt.co.nz
