It was "facile" for a man to believe making and possessing child pornography was a harmless pastime, a judge has told the Tokoroa District Court.
Judge Chris McGuire made the comments yesterday as he sentenced Mangakino man Lindsay Blackmoore, 51, ACC beneficiary, to 200 hours community work (periodic detention) on two
charges of making an objectionable publication.
Mr Blackmoore this month pleaded guilty to 19 charges of possessing an objectionable publication and two charges of making an objectionable publication, namely CD-Roms.
He was convicted and discharged on the 19 charges of possessing an objectionable publication.
Judge McGuire said the Department of Internal Affairs had found more than 50,000 images of a sexual nature on Mr Blackmoore's two computers. About 2500 of the images were objectionable, depicting girls and boys between the ages of four and 18 in sexual acts with adults and other pornographic poses.
Some of the images were on two CD-Roms made by Mr Blackmoore with photographs and indexes on their containers.
Mr Blackmoore had initially said he "inadvertently" downloaded the images but Judge McGuire said he did not accept that given the sheer volume of images
found.
"That can hardly be done by accident."
Mr Blackmoore had come close to being sent to prison, Judge McGuire said.
Mr Blackmoore's actions would have caused corrosion to his own life, but could also have manifested in the way he dealt with people.
Judge McGuire said it seemed the images fell short of the "most objectionable category".
He said Mr Blackmoore was a caring family man and had been regarded as a good employee.
Judge McGuire ordered the destruction of the objectionable material and forfeiture of Mr Blackmoore's two computers, which had already been seized by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Mr Blackmoore's lawyer Jenny Stairmand said Mr Blackmoore accepted responsibility for what he had done.
The department was represented by Rotorua Crown prosecutor Amanda Gordon.
- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)
