Pierre John Parsons (43) is subject to his second decade-long extended supervision order (ESO) — a measure which allows Corrections to keep close tabs on high-risk sex-offenders after their release from prison — until 2027.
It means the defendant has effectively been closely managed by authorities for almost his entire adult life.
While under that stricture, Parsons was obliged to give up any internet-capable device for analysis when his Probation officer requested, the Dunedin District Court heard yesterday.
On October 15, the contents of his cellphone were browsed as a result of such a request.
The officer noted Parsons had made internet searches for illicit material, including one for a "10-year-old girl and 20-year-old man" and another referring to schoolgirls.
When police further examined the device they found a 47-second video of an adult woman performing a sex act on a toddler.
Parsons subsequently pleaded guilty to possessing an objectionable publication.
Judge Michael Crosbie called the offending "vile and degrading" and reminded the defendant a real victim was involved in its making.
"Your possession of this video amounts to sexual exploitation of a child, a child of incredibly young and tender years," he said.
Parsons was struggling to answer questions about sexual arousal, the court heard.
In a pre-sentence interview, he strongly disputed being attracted to children and claimed the downloading of the video was an accident.
In 1995, the defendant, who was then 18, was jailed for 11 years for raping a 12-year-old girl.
Parsons reported that, when he rendered the victim unconscious, he took her clothing for his own cross-dressing purposes and became aroused when he saw her naked.
Since his release from prison, his wayward behaviour had continued.
While living at a residential facility Parsons invited a prostitute to the address, which was a breach of the rules.
And in December 2015, Parsons deviated from an approved route to work to approach a 15-year-old girl dressed in her school uniform.
He did so again in May 2016, giving her a note with his cellphone number, asking her to buy underwear and other female items.
In imposing the ESO in 2017, Justice Gerald Nation noted Parsons’ gender issues had reportedly been the driver for much of his offending.
"He wants to be living as a woman ... in a relationship with a woman who accepts him as transgender," the court heard.
Parsons was jailed for nine months.
His ESO will be suspended while he serves the sentence.
