A 64-year-old man appeared in the Oamaru District Court yesterday for sentencing on 24 charges of possessing objectionable publications.
David James Knight, unemployed, of Oamaru, pleaded guilty to all charges before Judge Joanna Maze and was sentenced to 12 months' intensive supervision and six months' community detention.
An order was made for the destruction of electronic items seized and all objectionable publications.
On August 26, Knight was found with 28 images of pre teen girls being sexually abused by adults and 4100 images of a high level of indecency, the court was told.
Defence counsel Ngaire Alexander said Knight had significant health issues and led a socially isolated life.
While imprisonment was recommended by the police, Judge Maze said a custodial sentence would not give Knight an example of a healthy living environment.
Community detention and intensive supervision would be the least restrictive outcome and the most appropriate for denunciation and deterrence, she said.
''These images never go away from the internet. People who use them make that offending go on and on and on,'' she told Knight.
''The harm to the children in those photos is forever.''
The fact the children in the images were not from Oamaru made no difference.
''We all have a duty to make sure they are safe,'' Judge Maze said.
The images were not distributed by Knight. They were only for personal possession.
Knight accepted what he did was wrong and he was otherwise of good character, Ms Alexander said.
