Paedophile cheerleading coach Nikola Marinovich jailed for child exploitation files
A convicted paedophile and former cheerleading coach who worked on children's TV show What Now has today been jailed for possessing, making and distributing graphic child abuse material.
Auckland man Nikola Michael Marinovich appeared for sentencing in Auckland District Court after earlier pleading guilty to a raft of representative charges brought by Customs relating to serious child sexual exploitation material.
He was jailed for three and half years.
Judge Eddie Paul said he had viewed a small sample of the thousands of objectionable publications found stored on five electronic devices belonging to Marinovich in order to inform the sentencing.
Eight of the files involved Marinovich recording videos of child abuse he had been watching on a screen.
The court heard 4658 objectionable images or video files were found on his devices. He had downloaded the material in his bedroom, often while high on controlled drugs, including methamphetamine.
"As a result of your deviancy Mr Marinovich, that fuels demand for this material each time these images are viewed."
Judge Paul described the graphic nature of the abuse files, some involving infants.
"If those descriptions don't enforce the seriousness of what you are viewing, I really don't know what would."
The judge said he received 16 personal references from Marinovich's friends and family.
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