Child porn addict now 'terrified of computers'

A man who let child pornography become one of the "staples of his life" is now terrified of computers and has sworn to never touch them again.

Numerous images and five computer disks of movies were found hidden in Murray Hatfield's bedroom when police raided the 48-year-old's home in Palmerston North in March.

Hatfield's lawyer, Fergus Steedman, said his client was a lonely, introverted man who lacked the social skills and relationships normal people took for granted.

He had never had an intimate relationship, had few friends and had become "addicted" to child pornography.

"He thought his life was pretty unexceptional. He thought he could control himself, paid his bills, didn't drink and drive. Now he knows he couldn't control himself," Mr Steedman said.

Hatfield was now terrified of computers and, through counselling, had realised that he had "hurt" the girls in the images and wanted to be better.

He was sentenced yesterday in Palmerston North District Court to 10 months' home detention after being caught with more than 5000 sexually explicit images of children which he had been collecting for up to four years.

He had pleaded guilty to five counts of making an objectionable publication and 20 of possessing objectionable material. He has been barred from access to computers or cellphones.

Judge Nevin Dawson accepted Hatfield had never tried to distribute the images and had no previous convictions.

"[This type of action] is not condoned in our society"

"The demand by you and others fuels the supply of these revolting images and increases the number of children who become victims."