Plett activists plan anti-child pornography march

WHILE the Plettenberg Bay man accused of having links to an international baby pornography network appeared briefly in the Knysna Regional Court, local anti-child abuse activists are planning a march to appeal for a review of the laws on child pornography.

The 37-year-old man, who cannot be named until he has pleaded, was arrested on January 13 last year after South African and Belgian police raided his seaside home and allegedly found of files containing hundreds of images and videos of violent assaults on mostly babies in nappies, as well as internet addresses of more than 300 other alleged paedophiles.

The matter was yesterday postponed to May 12 as plea and sentencing negotiations had not yet been completed.

Meanwhile, children’s rights groups in the town have been campaigning since February last year for better child protec- tion in the area, including organising four marches and starting several petitions which have been signed by thousands of locals and visitors.

Yvette Wilschut, spokeswoman for anti- child abuse group Green Hearts, said yesterday they were planning another march following concerns over what she labelled “slap-on-the-wrist” sentences for those found guilty of charges relating to child pornography.

An example was the sen- tencing of a 40- year- old Midrand man with links to the same child pornography network to a fine of R100 000 or three years behind bars. He was sentenced to a further eight years in prison, five of which were suspended on condition he did not commit similar crimes.

He was arrested as part of a police operation called Cloud 9. The first South African arrest as part of this operation was that of the Plett local.

Wilschut said courts saw child pornography as a “victimless crime”, so lesser sentences were applied

Woman and Men Against Child Abuse Western Cape representative Joanne Barrett said while several laws governed pornography and the creation, circulation, exhibition, distribution and possession of child abuse material, it lacked the prescriptions regarding sentencing for viewing or possession and distribution of these images. – Garden Route Media