The jailing of two child sexual abuse image collectors this week means the market for such objectionable material has been reduced, but inspectors will continue to trawl the internet for offenders throughout the holiday period, says the Department of Internal Affairs.
"New Zealand is committed to international efforts to help prevent the abuse of children and our inspectors are very active in tracking down collectors of pictures showing this abuse," Internal Affairs deputy secretary Keith Manch said.
"We are part of an international team working to catch such offenders and our inspectors are on the job at all hours. If you deal in this material you can expect to get caught."
Truck driver Graeme Murray Purvis (45) was jailed for three-and-a-half years on Monday, on 22 charges involving the possession, distribution and making of objectionable publications and attempted sexual grooming of a 15-year-old girl.
In Christchurch District Court today Anson Frederick Betts (37), a computer programmer, was jailed for 14 months on 17 charges of possessing objectionable publications.
The department seized computer equipment from Betts last February and found over 7100 objectionable files, ranging from young girls posing, through to the sexual abuse of toddlers, Mr Manch said.
In June 2009, while serving a summons for this offending, inspectors learned he had a new computer which contained four objectionable files and a computer game involving the rape of a schoolgirl and sexual violence.
He had also attached a USB drive with child sexual exploitation material to the computer.
A second Christchurch man was also sentenced today on one charge of distribution and nine of possessing objectionable image files.
Aaron Raniera Koziarski (31), unemployed cook, was given six months' home detention.
