Child sex abuser denied parole after using prison computer to search for info on inmates, staff

WARNING: This story is about the sexual abuse of children.

A man jailed for more than 15 years for the premeditated, prolonged and persistent sexual abuse of his two young daughters — filming much of the abuse of the youngest and uploading it - has been refused parole again after being caught searching for information about other inmates and prison staff on the internet.

The Parole Board said he also continued to “lack insight” into his offending and had made “limited progress”, with his focus remaining on his “perceived injustices and grievances” rather than rehabilitation.

The Herald first reported on the case of Steven Jones* in 2025 after both of his daughters spoke about his offending and the ongoing impact.

In mid-2015, Jones pleaded guilty to more than 50 charges.

He admitted four charges of raping Ash, four of unlawful sexual connection, eight of sexual conduct with a young person under 16, and four offences of indecent assault.

Many of the charges were representative — meaning multiple similar offences had been grouped together.

Jones also admitted repeatedly photographing and filming the girl in sexually compromising poses as he was violating her. The footage was then uploaded to a child exploitation website.

He also pleaded guilty to three counts of rape, four of unlawful sexual connection, six of sexual conduct with a young person under 16, and one of indecent assault in relation to his oldest daughter Jamie.

Some of those charges were representative.

As victims of sexual offending, Ash and Jamie’s legal names were automatically and permanently suppressed.

Identifying them as Ash and Jamie does not breach the protective orders.

Due to the order, their father cannot be identified. Steven Jones is a pseudonym.

Steven Jones sexually abused his daughters - and other children - and was jailed for more than 15 years. Photo / File

Alongside the long-running abuse of his daughters, Jones admitted performing indecent acts on two other little girls.

He met and befriended their families at a community centre where he worked. Once he had the trust of the adults, he turned his eye to the girls, aged between 5 and 10.

Finally, he admitted making an intimate visual recording of his friend and a woman having sex on two occasions without their knowledge.

Jones had secretly installed software into his mate’s home computer, enabling the computer’s camera to be motion-activated.

At sentencing, the judge told Jones he had caused significant and, in some cases lifelong harm to his victims.

“The psychological harm to your daughters has been significant. Both have self-harmed, have attempted suicide, have trouble maintaining both platonic and romantic relationships, and exhibit antisocial behaviour of different sorts,” he said.

“One of them lost self-motivation in her education and turned to drug and alcohol abuse. The other struggled with mental illness, including anorexia, depression and insomnia and consequently is unable to work.

“The scale of offending must be taken into account. More than one incident, or extended abuse over a prolonged period of time, is more serious, as is repeated rape or other sexual violation and associated degradation or indignity. This includes, in this case, videotaping or photographing. Offending against more than one victim also increases the scale of offending.”

Jones admitted more than 50 charges - mostly for child sex offending. Photo / File

Jones’s sentence ends officially in August 2030. He has now been refused parole three times.

In mid-2025, the board heard that while he had completed a child sex offender programme, he had been “exited” from the maintenance programme for “behavioural issues”.

There had also been “incidents” in prison that “did not reflect well” on the offender.

The board ordered Jones to “demonstrate a sustained period of good behaviour” and reduce his security classification to the point where he could participate in reintegration activities.

He was also told to “practice the skills he had acquired through the child sex offender programme”.

But when the board saw him again recently, Jones had made “limited progress”.

“We have a full psychological report which assesses [him] as at the high end of above average risk of further sexual offending,” the board said.

“While he was assessed at the end of treatment as having his core treatment needs addressed with maintenance work and skill practice still required, his subsequent behaviour reflected inconsistency in his ability to implement the skills he learned in his treatment.”

The board also heard Jones did not seem to have a “realistic appraisal of the risk associated with any internet use and how he will manage this” if he was released.

Jones has been refused parole three times now. Photo / File

Parole Board panel convenor Olivia Brittain also revealed Jones had not been a model prisoner.

“[His] focus over the past year has been on perceived injustices and grievances. He has made limited progress to date in addressing his risk of re-offending as recommended,” she said.

“While there have been no formal misconducts… since 24 July 2025, several file notes have indicated that he has been demanding and rude to unit staff. Recently… he displayed disrespectful behaviour towards the [Principal Corrections Officer].

“He had been working outside the wire in the piggery since June 2025. Reports from the principal instructor advised that [Jones] is often argumentative, he appears to have a hard time listening to instruction and understanding reasoning and he was not fitting in well with the group.”

Brittain said Jones had also had his access to Secure Online Learning withdrawn by Corrections.

“This is as a result of an audit on his use, which identified a breach of the conditions,” she explained.

The Parole Board could not comment further on the breach but the Herald has learned Jones was caught searching for staff and prisoners on a “litigation website” with the intent of obtaining information about court cases.

The Herald has learned Jones was caught searching other inmates and prison staff on a computer in jail. Photo / File

“He originally had access to support his litigation in an active court case,” Brittain said.

“When interviewed, [he] advised the searches were mostly out of curiosity or accidentally clicking on a link.

“As the searches from [the unit he was housed in], he was transferred to [another unit]. As a result of this transfer, [he] is no longer employed at the piggery.”

Jones told the board that his transfer had given him “a chance to practice techniques to stay calm”.

“He feels he is making progress,” Brittain said.

“The board was concerned when speaking to [him] that he seemed to lack insight, and his responses mirrored the behaviours and attitudes referred to in the various reports.

“Until such time as [he] prioritises his offence-related treatment needs over litigation against the Department of Corrections and implements and practices the skills he has learnt in treatment, his risk to the community remains undue, and parole is declined.”

“At present, it appears to us that his focus on perceived injustices and grievances is undermining any release proposal.”

Jones will not be seen again by the board until April 2027.

His daughters previously spoke to the Herald and podcast A Moment In Crime about his offending.

Both Ash and Jamie want him to stay behind bars for as long as possible. But when he is released, they have both said they want to take legal action to have his name suppression lifted.

They said they wanted the public to know exactly who he is and what he has done. And hoped to protect other little girls and teenagers from the monster who almost destroyed them.

Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz