Herald NOW: Daily News Update: June 5 2025.
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Auckland film-maker Rajneel Singh was jailed for three years and three months for distributing child sexual abuse material.
Police found 554 files on Singh’s devices after a raid in March 2023.
Former colleague Annamarie Connors expressed relief and heartbreak, saying Singh’s offending was the ultimate betrayal.
An Auckland film-maker who directed kids’ TV shows has been jailed for distributing graphic child sexual abuse material after sending images to a “decoy” police detective online.
A former friend said she was heartbroken and disgusted to learn of the scale of the man’s offending, but relieved he canfinally be identified.
Police raided the Mt Roskill home of Rajneel Singh in March 2023 after commencing an investigation the previous month after a whistle-blower’s tip-off.
The Herald has learned a “decoy” detective communicated with Singh online and was sent dozens of objectionable files by the disgraced film-maker.
Police found 554 photo and video files containing child sexual exploitation material saved on his devices.
The Herald understands many of the images were classed as the most serious – depicting graphic scenes of abuse.
It’s believed Singh, who once played a villain on Xena: Warrior Princess, shared the objectionable files via encrypted data apps with people he’d met on kink and fetish social network site FetLife.
He was charged with two representative counts of possessing and distributing the material, and made his first appearance in Auckland District Court in January last year.
He pleaded guilty in April 2024 but was granted interim name suppression.
The suppression order lapsed last week when he appeared for sentencing before Judge Stephen Bonnar, KC, who jailed Singh for three years and three months, meaning he can finally be identified.
Rajneel Singh (left) pictured with former friend and colleague Annamarie Connors. Singh was jailed last week for possession and distribution of child sex exploitation material.
Revelations of Singh’s offending have sent shock waves through the tight-knit film and television industry as colleagues and friends learned of the case.
Screenwriter Annamarie Connors is a former colleague, flatmate and close friend of the past 20 years.
She said Singh had worked on various screen projects, including the Fanimatrix. His most notable project was probably the 2018 children’s television series Custard’s World, of which he directed 13 episodes, screening on TVNZ and NZ on Air kids’ platform HEIHEI.
TVNZ said it did not produce the series and “this is not someone TVNZ has a relationship with”.
Singh had also worked as an actor, including his Xena: Warrior Princess role and voicing a character on Power Rangers Ninja Steel, Connors said.
She was at home when police arrived with a search warrant in March 2023, but didn’t realise the gravity of Singh’s offending until investigators laid charges the following year.
She told the Herald she immediately kicked him out of their shared house but suppression orders had prevented her from warning others about the allegations he faced until now.
Auckland screenwriter Annamarie Connors says learning of her former friend's offending was the ultimate betrayal.
She posted two videos on Facebook in recent days documenting Singh’s offending and the reasons she was unable to go public.
The last two years had felt like walking a tightrope, “trying to make sure people were safe without compromising the legal case”.
She was relieved she could finally speak out about her former friend and his wrongdoing.
“People have a right to know and there are so many people affected by this.
“It’s basically ruined my life. It’s the biggest betrayal I’ve ever experienced. I realised I didn’t know the person who had been my most constant companion for 20 years.”
Connors said Singh had never been upfront about his offending, telling flatmates after the police raid he may have accidentally downloaded an image while drunk.
She attended last week’s sentencing hearing because “I wanted to know the truth. I needed to know for me and everybody else”.
Auckland film-maker Rajneel Singh (right) has been jailed for three years and three months for distributing child sex abuse material. He is pictured with his former colleague Annamarie Connors.
Learning about the scale of his offending was “heartbreaking”.
Singh argued he should keep his name secret because of mental health concerns, to protect his career and because he was yet to tell his elderly parents.
It’s understood investigators have been trying to confirm which projects Singh worked on involving children, though police told the Herald they are not aware of any New Zealand-based child victims.
Singh’s profiles have been deleted from various screen websites since his crimes have come to light.
Connors said she was now trying to rebuild her life and move on.
“He was my best friend for 20 years. I trusted him so much.
“I hope I never see him again.”
Lane Nichols is a senior journalist and Auckland desk editor for the New Zealand Herald with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
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