Shannon Russell Swain, 35, of Gore, was imprisoned for two years and one month in November last year after he admitted a charge of indecent assault.
The charge represented about five years of abuse against a young girl.
A Court of Appeal decision, released this week, revealed Swain believed he deserved a lesser sentence.
He argued the sentencing judge did not give him enough credit for his previous good character.
The District Court judge described his own approach as "somewhat generous", and the panel of appeal judges agreed, noting parts of the sentencing were "extremely generous".
Swain had highlighted he had no previous convictions and had raised money for good causes by participating in snooker-a-thons.
The appeal judges considered the credit given for previous good character was fair.
"We acknowledge the appellant’s lack of previous convictions and his fundraising efforts," the appeal decision said.
"[But] this was not a momentary lapse in judgement by an otherwise upstanding member of the community."
The appeal was dismissed and the court upheld the original sentence.
Swain’s jury trial began in September, but in an 11th-hour change of heart he pleaded guilty before the victim gave evidence.
The court heard that between 2013 and 2018 the defendant molested the girl at least six times.
At sentencing, the victim explained the devastating impact the crimes continued to have on her.
"It still haunts me every single day.
"The abuse took away my childhood, a time that should’ve been filled with fun, friends and carefree moments."
The victim’s mother explained her daughter’s biggest fear was that Swain would go on to inflict harm on other children.
In 2022, Swain won the New Zealand Billiards and Snooker Association 2022 national snooker championships in Gore.
