Multi-millionaire jailed for exploitation
A former chairman of an Auckland community board and multimillionaire live-streamed the sexual abuse of children, and claimed he was helping the people involved as they were often living in poverty.
Martin Henry Lawes, the former chairman of the North Shore community board, was sentenced yesterday – the day after his 75th birthday – at the High Court in Auckland by Justice Edwin Wylie.
Lawes was sentenced to four years and six months’ imprisonment on three charges of ‘‘entering into a dealing for the sexual exploitation of under 18-year-olds’’, one charge of importation of objectionable publication, and one charge of possession of objectionable material.
Between 2008 and 2017, Lawes sent $100,000 to people in the Philippines.
Lawes’ arrest in 2015 came after an investigation into an international operation dealing in images of child sex abuse, led by the FBI in the United States.
Lawes held his head down as he was handed down his sentence.
The pre-sentence report stated that Lawes’ risk of reoffending was moderate.
‘‘You accepted your offending and said from 2000 onwards, your increase in work pressures and ongoing lack of sleep . . . you started accessing a chat forum to speak to Asian women of an appropriate age and it spiralled,’’ Justice Wylie said.
Lawes told the report writer he was regretful and disappointed in himself.
Justice Wylie said the victims were particularly vulnerable given their age.
‘‘You were paying money for the sexual exploitation . . . you were exploiting their poverty and situational vulnerability. You used them as toys,’’ Justice Wylie said.
Justice Wylie said the offending was repetitive and consistent.
‘‘It was you that engaged in the email contact . . . at no time did you seek to extract yourself from the communication,’’ he said.
The children were exploited and abused at his direction, Justice Wylie said.
‘‘It makes no difference to the child victims that they were being abused by a faceless person in another country.’’
New Zealand police found Lawes made 36 payments to five adults involved in the sex-abuse ring who were later arrested.
Justice Wylie said the live streaming of child sexual abuse was being reported as a growing threat, with the perpetrator directing the live abuse of children through video sharing platforms.
In total, 296 objectionable media files, both photographs and videos, showing the sexual exploitation and abuse of children were found across Lawes’ three computers.
Lawes would be registered on the Child Sex Offender register.