A former business executive who admitted receiving commercial sex services from an underage girl can now be named.
The man, who was ordered to serve 10 months’ home detention in March, is former OneRoof chief Greg Hornblow. OneRoof is a real estate platform owned by NZME, the publisher of
the Herald.
Hornblow’s identity was kept secret when he was charged last November and, while he lost name suppression at his sentencing last month, he was given the opportunity to file an appeal.
His lawyer, Graeme Newell, told the Herald that Hornblow has abandoned that appeal and therefore can be named for the first time.
Hornblow, 60, was dismissed from his position at OneRoof after he was charged last November.
Hornblow met his 14-year-old victim on Snapchat and sent her Uber Eats in return for intimate photos and videos – one of them in her school uniform.
He later gave her a $200 gift card, then agreed to pay her $1000 cash for sexual activity.
In a statement after suppression lifted, NZME chief executive Michael Boggs said the company had been “appalled to learn of the serious charge against former NZME employee Greg Hornblow”.
“At the time the charge came to our attention, we had an active disciplinary investigation underway involving Mr Hornblow relating to a separate matter. When we learned of the charge, we immediately terminated his employment. Due to the suppression order we have not been in a position to provide any further detail until now.”
Boggs said he had been made aware at the end of June last year of an allegation Hornblow had “demonstrated inappropriate behaviour” at an off-site work event. The Herald reported that allegation last December but could not name Hornblow, or NZME, due to the suppression.
In response to Hornblow’s case, and the departure of two other senior managers, NZME launched a workplace review in January.
‘Sugar daddy’ on Snapchat
According to an agreed summary of facts, Hornblow presented himself as a “sugar daddy” when he met the girl in September last year via Snapchat.
Initially, Hornblow asked her to send him a photo and inquired how old she was.
“In reply, the victim sent a photo of her face. Through their communication the victim had pretended to be 17 years of age,” the summary of facts said.
The court document said she requested Uber Eats from the defendant. He agreed on the condition that she send him intimate images.
“The victim subsequently sent several intimate images and videos of herself to the defendant, resulting in the arrival of multiple Uber Eats [orders].”
The exchange continued for about three weeks, with the Uber Eats deliveries coming from various outlets.
Between September 3 and 17 last year, the girl sent Hornblow 12 images and 19 short videos.
“The images and videos are recorded in her bedroom or bathroom at her home and depict the victim naked or partially naked … sexually posing,” the summary of facts said.
“These are sexualised images including a video of the victim wearing her school uniform.”
After receiving most of the images, Hornblow used his credit card to buy a $200 gift card and sent it to the girl’s email.
“On Sunday, September 21, 2025, at 10.40am, the defendant paid for an Uber to bring the victim to his house. Upon arrival, the victim told the defendant she was 17 years old.”
The summary of facts said that Hornblow paid the victim $1000 cash and told her: “You’re 17, I can’t pay you for sex so, if anyone finds out, we wanted to have sex and I just gave you money.”
Greg Hornblow outside Auckland District Court in March this year. Photo / Jason Dorday
At the victim’s request, Hornblow then paid for an Uber to bring one of the girl’s friends to his home, the summary said.
“The victim’s friend is a 14-year-old girl and a witness in this matter. The victim and defendant went to the defendant’s bedroom where sexual activity occurred.
“A short while later the defendant paid for the victim and witness to Uber to a nearby shopping mall,” the summary of facts said.
“The victim felt disgusted because of the interaction with the defendant.”
In explanation, police said the defendant offered a prepared statement after speaking to a lawyer.
“He stated it was his belief the victim was 17 years old, and he did not enter a contract for sex.”
The pair were not known to each other before meeting on Snapchat.
Newell said at last month’s sentencing it was quite likely his client would “never recover” from the consequences he had already suffered and he was “unemployable” in his current industry.
“A conviction will compound the losses he has already taken into the future.”
Newell said most applications for discharges without conviction featured speculation about the potential consequences. In this case, the man had already lost his “income, career and reputation”.
Newell submitted his client was “deeply ashamed” of what he had done and was a “low risk” of reoffending.
“He has engaged with a psychologist, he wants to continue to engage with a therapist.”
CEO was preparing to dismiss Hornblow before charge
Boggs, in his statement on Thursday, said NZME had been made aware at the end of June last year of an allegation Hornblow had “demonstrated inappropriate behaviour” at an off-site work event.
“No formal complaint was raised, however, due to the nature of the allegations, I undertook an internal investigation. A disciplinary, unpaid stand-down period was imposed on Greg Hornblow along with a range of other punitive conditions he was required to meet. He was issued with a final written warning.
“At the end of August, NZME received a formal complaint. While I am unable to go into detail about the full nature of the complaint, I can say it was centred on Greg Hornblow’s behaviour in many professional settings including accusations of him making inappropriate comments in meetings and in the office environment. A formal investigation was commenced.
“Based on the findings of that investigation, I anticipated we would terminate Greg Hornblow’s employment with NZME. I advised the NZME Board of this on November 5. Mr Hornblow had until 7 November to respond to the investigation summary provided to him. I was advised by Greg Hornblow on November 6 that he was appearing in court that day and was pleading guilty to a serious criminal charge. His employment at NZME was then terminated immediately.
“With the suppression order in place, we have been very limited in what we could say to our OneRoof team, other NZME staff, our clients and other stakeholders. NZME fully supported lifting the suppression order.
“We have zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour at NZME and we are committed to maintaining a safe workplace for all our people. We ensure any complaint is thoroughly investigated, as it was in this case.”
Home detention ordered
Judge Kathryn Maxwell, when sentencing Hornblow, said the victim was 14 at the time of the offending.
Judge Maxwell said aggravating factors included the girl’s age, the impact of the abuse, Hornblow continuing contact with her after receiving footage of her in a school uniform and his knowledge his conduct was illegal.
Mitigating factors, she said, included Hornblow’s offer to make amends for his offending, letters of support from family, friends and colleagues and his early guilty plea.
She said the defence submitted the level of offending was moderate, but when mitigating features were taken into account, including Hornblow’s donation to the Women’s Refuge and the low risk of reoffending, it was low.
The prosecution, however, said the offending was serious.
Judge Maxwell set a three-year starting point. Hornblow then received discounts for his early guilty plea, previous good character and remorse.
This brought Judge Maxwell’s starting point down to 21 months, which meant the defendant was eligible for home detention.
This led to a final sentence of 10 months’ home detention, and an order to pay $3000 to the victim for emotional harm.
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