KEY POINTS:
A 7-1/2 month gap between the detection of a man downloading child pornography and execution of a search warrant on him was due to the heavy workload of inspectors, Internal Affairs said today.
A sentencing judge yesterday criticised the department for the delay, saying said the crimes before him had been committed after the man's offending had first been detected.
However, Internal Affairs' deputy secretary Keith Manch said censorship inspectors' work was demanding and unpleasant and they had to be thorough in the preparation of cases.
Judge Christopher Somerville, in Ashburton District Court yesterday, sentenced Robert Brian Fraser, 28, to a year's jail on 14 charges involving possession, distribution and making objectionable publications.
The offending was detected in 2005 but it took the department 7-1/2 months to execute a search warrant and seize computers and files, some of which depicted children as young as one in sexual acts.
There were also pictures of sex acts with animals and children.
Judge Somerville told Fraser: "I have no idea how many files you had when you came to notice, but I am not willing to accept the high number you were allowed to amass by Internal Affairs to influence me too much."
Mr Manch said the number of offenders was increasing and the department had three inspectors covering the South Island.
They had to organise their workload in the most efficient way possible.
"Their work is continuous and time consuming and involves full analysis of what's on a suspect's computer.
"This is the key to attacking the overall problem and achieving a successful prosecution. While this is happening the team continues to trawl the internet for further possible offenders."
Mr Manch said there was always a time lag between detecting possible offences and executing a search warrant and it would not be the most efficient use of resources to raid a suspect's home as soon as suspicions were raised.
"Sometimes we must give priority to overseas offending because we are part of an international operation against the child sex abuse trade.
"The work is demanding and unpleasant and the team has to be thorough in the preparation of cases. They are rightly proud of their 99 per cent success rate in prosecuting offenders."
- NZPA
