Maori Party MPs have joined the chorus of condemnation at the permanent name suppression given to a prominent Manawatu man who downloaded more than 300,000 pornographic images, many of them picturing children.
“The decision to permanently suppress this man’s name is outrageous as is the decision to give him a few months home detention,” Maori Party justice spokeswoman Rahui Katene said.
“We urge the prosecution to appeal the sentence so this man can never ever again be allowed to continue his sick actions in a veil of secrecy.”
Simon “FIGJAM” Power will now be shitting his diapers, he just lost a coalition partner over name suppression and judicial meddling. Even “Honest Hone” had something to say.
“The pages of many newspapers in this country are littered with names of small-time offenders, yet the real sick freaks out there are getting protection,”
I wonder what “FIGJAM” is going to do, ACT’s policy is clearly against name suppression, now the Maori Party looks like it is shaping up that way two. He is going to actually have to do something about it rather than weasel away in caucus.
But it isn’t just the Maori party that is stinkers. The Crown Prosecutor and another lobby group are as well.
Crown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk said granting name suppression could be seen as protecting a person in a privileged position. He also disputed the need to protect the man’s children as they were well informed about the offending.
Today Stop Demand’s founder, Denise Ritchie, said the man’s sexual interest in young girls and his prolific appetite for more and more images contributed directly to market forces of demand and supply, leading to more children being violated and degraded.
“Yet Judge Fraser’s decision suggests that if you participate in and fuel the global sexual exploitation of children but you are a prominent member of the New Zealand community, the courts will protect your interests. This is a disappointing and unacceptable message from our courts,” she said.
Given the man’s occupation and specialty it is appalling that he has name suppression, one could ask the Judge just one question. Was he on the email list?
