A man has been jailed for four years, nine months after possessing and distributing child exploitation imagery and trying to blackmail people for financial gain.
Earl Gary Chatterton, 30, was sentenced in the Manukau District Court yesterday after an extensive investigation since August 2018, police said today.
He was found to have distributed and copied images of child sexual abuse and exploitation, possessing more than 80 objectionable image files.
He also tried to blackmail multiple people for financial gain, police say.
Chatterton pleaded guilty to 26 charges relating to the imagery and one charge of blackmail, with police calling his offending "abhorrent".
It took a joint investigation between police, the Department of Internal Affairs and New Zealand Customs to take him down.
"The strength of the three agencies working collaboratively means we are more effective when it comes to identifying and bringing to justice those who seek to exploit defenseless and vulnerable children and adults within our community," detective senior sergeant Eddie Sutherland says.
Victims of child abuse are asked to visit the KidsHealth website for information and support, or contact Safe to Talk .
People who are concerned about their or other's sexual behaviour should contact organisations such as Safe Network, WellStop and STOP, or local treatment providers or specialist therapists.
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