A senior first responder has pleaded not guilty to multiple child exploitation charges in the Christchurch District Court.
The man, whose name and occupation are suppressed, faces five charges relating to the possession and exportation of child exploitation material. He was arrested in June following a Customs investigation.
Lawyer Craig Ruane told the court his client would plead not guilty to all charges and had elected a trial by jury.
Ruane said the man’s employment was terminated because the charges had brought his employer into disrepute, and that an employment process was underway to address the matter.
He added that the man had highly developed skills in his industry, and public identification would hinder future employment opportunities.
Judge Katie Elkin extended interim name suppression until the man’s trial, citing the extreme hardship media coverage would cause.
The man will reappear in court in December.