New Zealand court suppresses name of high-profile child pornography offender

A New Zealand court has permanently suppressed the name of a man found with hundreds of child pornography images.

The man, once part of a high-profile government-funded group, was sentenced to eight months home detention after being caught sharing the images online.

Wellington District Court judge Jo Rielly agreed the man’s name should be kept secret to protect him from retaliation.

Images found on the man’s devices included photos of babies, children and bestiality.

Rielly acknowledged the man had made where were described as significant efforts at rehabilitation, and that he intended to donate money to organisations that assisted victims of exploitation.

As well as being confined to home detention, the man was ordered that he wear a tracking device and to not be with anyone under 16 years of age without approved supervision.

The man’s lawyer Letizea Ord argued that he client was “remorseful” and “disgusted at himself”.

He was no longer employed and had no prospects for employment.

She argued publication of the man’s name would cause him to “suffer extremely”

The lawyer for media outlet Stuff, Daniel Nilsson, said it was in the public interest for the man’s name to be made public.

But the judge rejected the argument, insisting the perpetrator was a “real person with feelings”, who had led a “blameless life” up until committing the offences.