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A Papakura man has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for distributing and possessing child sexual exploitation material, following an investigation by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Mark Wayne Price (44) faced a total of 41 charges in the Papakura District Court on July 10, marking his second conviction for similar offences. In March 2015, he was sentenced to nine months of home detention for possessing and distributing objectionable publications.
During this investigation, Investigators from the Department’s Digital Child Exploitation Team (DCET) uncovered 15,983 images and videos of child sexual exploitation across multiple devices.
Forensic analysis of the seized devices revealed that Price knowingly shared over 800 files of child sexual exploitation and abuse material with 27 others. The victims depicted in the material ranged from infants to young children.
Tim Houston, manager of DCET, said:
“This case highlights the severe impact of child sexual exploitation and abuse material. Possessing and sharing this illegal content causes lasting harm and perpetuates the exploitation of vulnerable children.
“The Department is committed to stopping the spread of this material and holding offenders like Price fully accountable in court. Protecting our communities and ensuring children’s safety will always be our top priority,” he said.
As part of the sentencing, Price will be put on the Child Sex Offenders registry.
In 2024, the Digital Child Exploitation Team conducted 69 investigations into child exploitation and helped to safeguard 14 New Zealand children from harm. The Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System also blocked over one million attempts to access websites hosting child sexual abuse material.
Help and support
Encourage parents and caregivers to talk to their tamariki (children) about their online activities. Advice and support for parents and caregivers about how they can keep their children safe online can be found at KeepItRealOnline.govt.nz.
If you are concerned about something you have seen or want to report a crime, please report it to the Digital Child Exploitation Team at DIA. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 111.
If you are the victim of a child abuse or sexual abuse crime, you can contact:
- www.kidshealth.org.nz/child-abuse-directory-information-and-support
- Safe to Talk: 0800 044 334 Text 4334
If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s sexual behaviour, please reach out for support:
- Safe Network: 09 377 9898
- WellStop: 04 566 4745
- STOP: 03 353 0257
- Stand Strong, Walk Tall
