KEY POINTS:
Repeat sex offender Stephen John McDonald has gone to jail under a preventive detention sentence and won't be considered for parole for seven years.
At McDonald's sentencing in the High Court at Christchurch today, Justice Graham Panckhurst suppressed the name of the overseas country where some of the
offending occurred against an eight-year-old boy.
The 50-year-old's name had been suppressed all through the court process that began in April, but Justice Panckhurst lifted the order today.
One complainant, a youth now aged 17, had told the police and the crown that he did not want the suppression to continue.
Crown prosecutor Barnaby Hawes described the offending as "insidious, prolonged, and premeditated".
It had involved a high degree of deception and he suggested that a "sudden turn-around" by McDonald after counselling and treatment had to be regarded in the same light.
Justice Panckhurst said he had read several letters from McDonald which were lengthy and all said the right things. The contrast was striking between comments to the psychiatrist and psychologist, and the letters.
"They are either a remarkable turn-around or a cause for concern. I take them at face value," said the judge.
McDonald had pleaded guilty before trial to four charges of sexual violation of a boy aged nine to 12, including anal intercourse and oral sex. Police doing that investigation found naked images on his computer showing a young boy overseas.
These images - no complaint had been laid - formed the basis of a charge of sexual conduct with a child outside New Zealand.
Two other charges of possessing objectionable publications related to a selection of about 500 child pornography images found on the computer.
Defence counsel Mark Callaghan said McDonald had shown a new insight into his offending after beginning treatment and counselling. He urged that a finite prison term be imposed rather than the open-ended sentence of preventive detention.
He said McDonald had also shown an improvement after undergoing the Kia Marama programme for child sex offenders in 1988.
But Justice Panckhurst said the purpose of such a sentence was preventive.
"It is reserved for those who pose a significant and on-going risk to others in the community."
The court had to consider whether there was a pattern of serious sexual offending.
He noted that McDonald had convictions in 1987-88 for indecent assault on a girl who was then aged about eight.
He said the victim impact report on one of the victims was among the worst he had read. The boy had suffered significant psychological effects, and his self-esteem and ability to mix with others had been impaired.
He had an eating disorder, sleep deprivation, a period of drug use, and surgery had been needed to repair damage to his anus.
Justice Panckhurst said the ultimate issue was whether further serious sexual offending was likely, and he decided it was. McDonald represented "an undue risk to the community", he said, imposing preventive detention.
- NZPA
