Former diplomat gets 12 years' jail for sex with boy

A former senior Australian trade official who paid a boy for sex and propositioned a New Zealand boy has been jailed for more than 12 years.

As a high-flying company CEO, John Finnin, 53, lived in a plush apartment in the Melbourne suburb of Sandringham and drove a Maserati sports car.

But behind closed doors he had a dark secret - an interest in gay internet chatrooms and sex with teenage boys.

In 2007, a 15-year-old boy posted a message on a chat site saying he wanted to provide his sexual services for money.

The boy was anxious to leave his family's outer suburban Melbourne home because of difficulties he was having with his father.

He soon received a telephone call from Finnin and was invited to his apartment.

On a later occasion, Finnin told the teenager he was chief executive officer of a company called Firepower.

The high-flyer paid the boy between A$100-$120 (NZ$125-149) for his services.

Finnin referred to the boy as his "f*** buddy" and told him that "there are plenty of rent boys I can pick up who would be far more responsive".

Last month, a Victorian County Court jury found Finnin guilty of 23 child sex offences including entering into an agreement for the provision of sexual services with a child and sexual penetration of a child under 16.

On Friday, Victorian County Court judge Tony Duckett jailed Finnin for 12 years and four months, saying Finnin had demonstrated "arrogance and a lack of remorse" for his offending.

Judge Duckett noted the conduct included anal penetration of a child.

"I consider such conduct, particularly involving a 15-year-old boy, to be reprehensible," he said.

Finnin also faced charges in relation to a proposed meeting with a boy in Auckland.

Judge Duckett ordered Finnin serve at least eight years before being eligible for release.

- AAP