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Offender Databases Rowan Pearce

Rowan John Pearce

Alias

.

Offences

Possession of child pornography, nearly 1400 images accumulated since 2005

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1980

Current Location

Wakefield, Nelson

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 7 months home detention in February 2009

Background
Nelson Mail, 17th February 2009
An Atawhai man found with nearly 1400 files of child pornography was on Tuesday sentenced to seven months' home detention. Rowan John Pearce, 29, had previously admitted 10 charges of possessing an objectionable publication and one charge of making an objectionable publication and appeared for sentencing in the Nelson District Court on Tuesday.

The police summary of facts said that in January 2006, the Censorship Compliance Unit of the Department of Internal Affairs received a complaint alleging that there were objectionable images on a personal computer.

Pearce's home in Dodson Valley was searched by police, and a computer and CD-ROMS were seized. A total of 672 files found on the computer and the CD-ROMS were believed to be objectionable. The making an objectionable publication charge related to a CD-ROM containing 708 files located in 26 folders, which were made and organised by Pearce.

The department determined that Pearce had been collecting the material since at least August 2005. Pearce, a grocery assistant, admitted having the child pornography and getting sexual gratification from it. He said he used two Internet file-sharing applications to obtain the pornography over a nine-month period, using various search terms to find what he was looking for.

Judge Tony Zohrab said the photos showed pre-pubescent girls being violated by animals and adults, and being forced to perform sexual acts on other children and adults. He told Pearce on Tuesday it was not a victimless crime. "If there weren't people like you, there wouldn't be victims like them." He said there was an element of sophistication due to the arrangement of the files for easy access.

Defence lawyer Steven Zindel said Pearce was a soft, likeable, naive young man who had a dark secret. He said there was no commercial element to the offending and Pearce had not offended since. He had voluntarily attended 21 sessions of sexual abuse counselling.

Judge Zohrab said the conditions of Pearce's home detention were that he be assessed by psychologists and carry out any treatment required, have no access to a computer, and have no contact with children aged under 16 without prior approval from probation officers.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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