Paedophile gets more jail time
A victim of an accomplished architect caught in an international police sting targeting child exploitation, labelled him a ‘‘bad man who preyed on children’’.
Neville Kingsley Saunders appeared before Judge Philip P Crayton in the Whanganui District Court in January 2020, facing two representative charges of sexual offending against two different victims.
Saunders was previously sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment by Judge Chris Sygrove in the New Plymouth District Court in December 2018 on a raft of charges, after being caught with hundreds of child exploitation images.
The 16 charges, which included possessing an objectionable publication with knowledge, knowingly distributing an objectionable publication, knowingly making an objectionable publication, and indecency with an animal, were laid following him being contacted by a police officer in Switzerland conducting covert inquiries in 2016. Saunders pleaded guilty.
Crayton said Saunders’ first offending took place between 1968 and 1970 while he was a leader of the Every Boys rally group, in Takapuna, and his victim was aged between eight and nine.
Saunders, an architect who lived in New Plymouth, but later moved to Tauranga, put his hand inside the boy’s underwear five times during three separate pants fitting sessions, and also indecently touched him when the group visited hot pools.
When confronted by the victim about 15 years later Saunders told him ‘‘I do not do that any more’’.
His second victim was known to the Saunders family and was aged between 11 and 14 when similar offending took place between 1978 and 1981.
On one occasion Saunders made his victim dress in tight shorts and photographed him in the shorts and naked.
When earlier interviewed by police the 70-year-old admitted he would watch porn at work and said ‘‘speedos and shorts’’ were his fetish. He initially denied the offending when contacted by police, but later pleaded guilty to the two charges.
Crayton said Saunders’ first victim described how his offending against him had blighted his life in various ways.
‘‘As he put it in that victim impact statement: ‘You are a bad man who preyed on children’. His childhood, his trust were taken by you.’’
His second victim said the effect of the offending took him down a pathway of reckless behaviour, including substance abuse and also depression.
Crayton said the victims were vulnerable because of their age and circumstances.
‘‘In respect of each there is a significant degree of trust which has been abused.’’
He sentenced Saunders to one year and two months’ imprisonment on each charge. The sentences will run concurrently, but cumulatively on his present term.
Saunders was also placed on the child’s sex offenders register.