Jail time for distribution, making, and possession of child sexual abuse files

3 October 2018

A 48 year old Nelson man was sentenced in the Nelson District Court on 3 October 2018 to 6 years 9 months imprisonment for the distribution, making, and possession of child sexual abuse imagery.

The offender, Jeffery Frank Chadwick, pled guilty to 22 charges. These charges were for distribution (6 charges), making (11 charges), and possession (5 representative charges) of child sexual abuse and exploitation files.

Chadwick sent 6 objectionable images to 3 online users, and made 11 objectionable image files. He acquired and stored 1,300 objectionable image and video files on 2 laptop computers, 3 mobile phones, and 1 storage account. In addition, 2,000 deleted objectionable files were recovered from his electronic devices.

The judge granted all additional submissions, including refusal of name suppression for the offender, orders for the offenders’ name to be registered on the Child Sex Offender Registration, and orders for name suppression of the victim.

Chadwick has 3 relevant previous convictions from Queensland, Australia for similar sexual offending against young children.

“Child sexual abuse imagery involves real children who are coerced and forced into sexual acts that are recorded by their abusers,” says Jolene Armadoros, Director Regulatory System Digital Safety.

“Law enforcement and social media are proactive in their investigation of this material, and focused in their efforts of removal and bringing to account those who offend.

“We are working hard to ensure that anyone who distributes, makes and possesses objectionable materials of child sexual abuse imagery are caught, prosecuted and sentenced,” she says.

If you are concerned that something you have seen may be objectionable or want to report a crime, contact the Censorship team.

If you are the victim of a child abuse crime, visit the Child Abuse: Directory for information and support or Safe to Talk.

If you are concerned about your, or someone else's, sexual behaviour, contact organisations such as Safe Network, WellStop and STOP, local treatment providers, or specialist therapists.

The Department of Internal Affairs uses the term child sexual abuse imagery. The term child pornography downplays child sexual abuse.