Three sentenced on child sex abuse image offences

8 September 2016

Overseas and local tip-offs to Internal Affairs have led to the conviction of three Auckland men for offences depicting the sexual abuse of children.

Google detected two of the men on the Internet uploading objectionable images and the third case came to light when a local computer repair company reported that a customer’s hard drive contained objectionable material.

Inspectors traced the offenders and found incriminating material on their computer equipment.

Willem Hecklaas Van Aswegen, 46, emergency safety officer, of East Tamaki Heights, was sentenced at Manukau District Court (6 Sept) to seven months’ home detention on two representative charges of possessing objectionable publications.

Gerald Bond Masters, 52, teacher, of Birkdale, was sentenced to eight months’ home detention in the North Shore District Court (7 Sept) on 24 charges of possessing objectionable publications.

Graham William Meadows, 82, photographer, of Woodhill, received 10 months’ home detention in Auckland District Court (7 Sept) on two representative charges of making and possessing objectionable publications. They were found on a faulty hard drive submitted for repair and on other equipment Internal Affairs inspectors seized.

Sentencing Meadows Judge Ema Aitken said he had participated in a “grossly immoral industry” that exploited the most vulnerable parts of the population. In Masters’ case Judge Pippa Sinclair said his collection of some 10,000 images helped create and sustain the market for child sexual abuse material.

Censorship Compliance Inspector Jon Peacock said the Department is part of a world-wide network of law enforcement agencies committed to helping prevent the abuse of children.

“We have the expertise to track down offenders who may think, quite wrongly, that they’re safe in the confines of their own homes,” Jon said. “If you deal in this type of material you can expect to get caught.

“Trading or viewing these images is not passive offending because it condones the abuse children suffer. People, who look at this material, pass it on and use it, encourage those who actually photograph the children.”

Media contact:
Trevor Henry, senior communications adviser, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 04 495 7211 or email trevor.henry@dia.govt.nz

Spokesperson:
Jon Peacock, Inspector Censorship Compliance Unit, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 04 495 9383