Media release 27 April 2004

PRISON TERM FOR TRADER OF CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES WELCOMED

Tauranga man Ross Alexander Mundy was today sentenced to one-year imprisonment on a total of 41 charges of distributing and collecting videos and pictures of babies and children being raped and sexually abused.

Department of Internal Affairs’ inspectors found Mundy had more than 100 electronic videos and 800 pictures of adults raping and sexually abusing babies and children. Inspectors also found stories written by Mundy about sexually abusing children and invitations he had given to people whom he had met online to stay with him so that they could abuse a child to whom he had access.

The prison sentence was welcomed by groups working to combat the trade.

Spokesperson for ECPAT and Stop Demand, Denise Ritchie, said “This case highlights the fact that traders of such material require babies and children to be raped and abused and as such they contribute directly to that abuse. They also contribute directly to the future abuse of other children as they seek to obtain and trade new images. Their actions attempt to normalise and reinforce a falsely held belief by some that sex with children is acceptable.”

“A prison sentence combined with a compulsory sex offender treatment programme for those who trade in such material is critical if New Zealand is to be part of concerted global efforts to stamp out the trade. If our hope is to end the trade, we must crack down heavily on those creating the demand - men like Mundy.”

ENDS

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