Brianna McIlraith, Open Justice reporter
A South Island father accessed 1000’s of kid exploitation photographs and movies that confirmed “brutal violation of toddlers and infants”.
In accordance with the abstract of information, he downloaded quite a few objectionable publications within the type of youngster sexual exploitation materials (CSEM) by means of an web file-sharing platform publicly obtainable on the web.
Michael Sullivan was sentenced within the Alexandra District Courtroom in November 2025 to 12 months’ house detention and 100 hours’ group work on three consultant prices of possessing objectionable materials.
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However he could not be named till now due to suppression orders.
Police say that between 4 April and 19 October, 2024, he downloaded video footage, seen it and deleted it from his gadgets. Nevertheless, some photographs have been saved.
The primary cost associated to downloading a file on 10 August, 2024, which contained 21 pattern movies of CSEM. Nearly all of the movies contained a title suggesting it associated to younger kids.
One file is alleged to have contained a compilation video containing “among the worst content material on the web, involving the brutal violation of toddlers and infants”, the abstract stated.
On 17 December, 2024, Sullivan downloaded a file containing 34 movies of CSEM. The titles, once more, urged abuse directed at kids.
A few of the titles set out within the abstract recommend the pictures associated to pre-teens.
On 23 October, 2024, a search warrant was executed at his house and a number of digital gadgets have been seized.
Police examined a pill, which contained 5500 photographs of CSEM the place kids have been both posing nude or being sexually violated by adults.
Sullivan was sentenced by Choose Hermann Retzlaff to 12 months’ house detention, which ends in November this 12 months, and 100 hours’ group work.
He later utilized for suppression within the District Courtroom saying naming him would trigger excessive hardship to his kids, however the software was declined.
He then tried to attraction that call.
Justice Robert Osborne stated the attraction, which was filed in early March, was filed 4 months out of time.
Defence lawyer Jacinta Grant instructed the Excessive Courtroom at Dunedin the delay was adequately defined by a fabric change in Sullivan’s circumstances, together with the loss of life of a relative and a deterioration in his psychological well being.
Crown prosecutor James Collins submitted Sullivan had skilled substantial misery from the outset of police intervention in October 2024, when the search warrant was executed.
Justice Osborne stated he was glad points related along with his psychological well being could possibly be managed.
“I don’t contemplate the intense hardship threshold has been made out.”
Finally, Justice Osborne dismissed the applying however granted interim suppression for 10 days to allow help methods to be put in place for Sullivan. That suppression has now lapsed.
The place to get assist:
Whether it is an emergency and you’re feeling such as you or another person is in danger, name 111.
Sexual Violence:
Abuse survivors:
For male survivors
Street Ahead Belief, Wellington, contact Richard 0211181043
Higher Blokes Auckland, 099902553
The Canterbury Males’s Centre, 03 3776747
The Male Room, Nelson 035480403
Male Survivors, Waikato 07 8584112
Male Survivors, Otago 0211064598
For feminine survivors
Assist Wellington, 048016655
Assist, Auckland 09 623 1296.
For pressing assist: Protected To Discuss 0800044334.
