Hon Phil Goff Minister of Justice

14 October 2005

Goff welcomes child porn jail term

The substantial jail term imposed today on the first child pornographer sentenced under amended censorship laws has been welcomed by Justice Minister Phil Goff.

Waikato man David Malcolm Walker has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for distributing electronic movies and pictures of children aged from three months to 13 years being sexually abused by adults, and being sexually posed. Walker was also jailed for 18 months on possession charges. The sentences are to be served concurrently.

"Today's sentence – the first imposed since tougher censorship laws came into force in February – shows that judges are acting on the intent of the new legislation and are prepared to hand down much harsher penalties than was previously the case," Mr Goff said.

"This sentence not only goes well beyond the three or four-month sentences that were previously imposed for trafficking in child pornography, it is also the first time that a jail term has been handed down for possession.

"The sentencing judge also noted that but for an early guilty plea, he would have jailed this offender for five years.

"This sends a clear message that there is a strong abhorrence of anyone trading in images of child pornography and child abuse, and that such behaviour will not be tolerated," Mr Goff said.

ENDS

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