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Warning: This story contains details of sexual offending against children and may be upsetting.<\/p>\n
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A man who claimed he had child exploitation material for \u201cresearch\u201d has been found guilty of serious sexual offending against children.<\/p>\n
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Coromandel man Barry Ramsey was tried before Judge Joanne Wickliffe in the Rotorua District Court in September.<\/p>\n
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Ramsay, 67, initially denied all 24 charges, most of which related to sexual offending against two child victims in the Bay of Plenty over three years.<\/p>\n
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Charges included multiple of sexual violation and\u00a0performing indecent acts<\/a>\u00a0on the children \u2013 a boy and a girl aged under 12.<\/p>\n
Some charges were representative, meaning the offences happened more than once.<\/p>\n
He was accused of possessing and making child exploitation material, and showing it to both victims, obstructing police and failing to carry out obligations in relation to a computer search.<\/p>\n
Police found more than 1300 objectionable images on his laptop, dozens of which were assessed as being in the most offensive category of content.<\/p>\n
Ramsay claimed he had the \u201cdistasteful, disgusting\u201d material for academic \u201cresearch\u201d to develop a search tool for law enforcement.<\/p>\n
He denied allegations he tried to make the boy have sex with a dog and unlawfully touched the girl.<\/p>\n
It was his defence that several incidents alleged by the children \u201cdid not happen\u201d and in others there was \u201ccontext\u201d, such as them \u201cinstigating\u201d conversations about sexual matters with him.<\/p>\n
On the witness stand, he\u00a0admitted giving the boy oral sex<\/a>\u00a0but said he did not view it as sexual because he was \u201cfully clothed\u201d.<\/p>\n
Among his other claims were that he bought sex toys for the children \u201cto answer their questions\u201d and enable \u201csafer\u201d masturbation, and that AI produced a recording found in his belongings of a male voice questioning if sex was \u201cdetrimental to children\u201d.<\/p>\n
He pleaded guilty during his trial to five charges of possessing an objectionable publication, but continued to deny the other charges.<\/p>\n
Ramsay appeared yesterday in the Rotorua District Court to hear Judge Wickliffe\u2019s verdicts on the remaining 19 charges.<\/p>\n
She found him guilty on all charges except obstructing police.<\/p>\n
Judge Wickliffe ordered a pre-sentence report.<\/p>\n
She remanded Ramsay in custody until sentencing on February 18.<\/p>\n
Where to get help:<\/p>\n
If it\u2019s an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact\u00a0Safe to Talk<\/a>\u00a0confidentially, any time 24\/7:<\/p>\n
Alternatively, contact your local police station \u2013\u00a0click here for a list.<\/a><\/p>\n
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it\u2019s not your fault.<\/p>\n
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\nSexual harm
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\n\tCall 0800 044 334
\n\tText 4334
\n\tEmail support@safetotalk.nz
\n\tFor more info or to web chat visit\u00a0safetotalk.nz<\/a>
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