A 20-year-old North Otago man has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison after admitting creating, possessing and distributing tens of thousands of files depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Bailey Phillips, an apprentice butcher, was sentenced in the Oamaru District Court after pleading guilty to 22 charges following an investigation by the Department of Internal Affairs’ Digital Child Exploitation Team.
The case involved more than 29,000 objectionable images and videos found in his possession, more than 22,000 files distributed online, and 12 videos he had created himself, according to the Department of Internal Affairs.
Some of the material also involved the sexual exploitation of animals.
22 charges admitted
Phillips pleaded guilty to:
nine charges of knowingly possessing more than 29,000 objectionable images and videos
seven charges of knowingly distributing more than 22,000 objectionable files
six charges of knowingly creating 12 videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children
The Department of Internal Affairs said the material had been accumulated over a period of about four years.
Forensic examination of devices seized from Phillips’ home found material depicting the sexual abuse of children ranging from teenagers to babies.
Investigation began through another case
Phillips came to the attention of investigators during a separate Department of Internal Affairs investigation involving convicted offender Glen Connor.
According to DIA, investigators uncovered online conversations between Phillips and Connor.
In those conversations, Phillips allegedly offered to groom and sextort a young male.
The discovery led investigators to execute a search warrant at Phillips’ home.
Five electronic devices were seized and later examined by forensic specialists.
The Department said the devices contained extensive collections of objectionable material as well as evidence of online offending.
Teen girl identity used to target boys
Investigators also found Phillips had impersonated a teenage girl during some online conversations.
DIA said the false identity was used in attempts to obtain sexual images from young teenage boys.
The case highlights the way offenders can use fake online identities, deception and coercion to target children.
Sextortion typically involves threatening, pressuring or manipulating someone into providing sexual images or videos, sometimes followed by demands for more material or threats to distribute existing content.
DIA says grooming causes lasting harm
Department of Internal Affairs Digital Child Exploitation Manager Tim Houston described sextortion and grooming as deliberate forms of abuse.
“Sextortion and grooming are calculated forms of abuse. These offenders manipulate and exploit trust to coerce children into producing objectionable material, and the harm caused by these crimes can be devastating and long lasting,” Houston said.
He said investigations of this type were difficult but important.
“This is not easy work. Our team works tirelessly along with our partners at Police and Customs to trace offenders who hide behind layers of anonymity, because every file we remove and every offender we stop means fewer children harmed.”
The case was investigated by DIA’s specialist Digital Child Exploitation Team, which works alongside other agencies including New Zealand Police and Customs.
Devices forfeited and material ordered destroyed
As part of the sentence, the judge ordered Phillips to be placed on the child sex offender register.
His devices have also been forfeited.
The court ordered the objectionable publications to be destroyed.
The sentence follows his guilty pleas to all 22 charges.
Tens of thousands of files do not represent victimless offending
Online child sexual abuse material can sometimes be discussed as though it is simply illegal digital content, but authorities repeatedly stress that each image or video involves the exploitation of a real child.
The possession and sharing of such material can continue the harm long after the original abuse occurred because files can be copied, redistributed and viewed repeatedly.
In this case, DIA said the scale of the offending included tens of thousands of files gathered and shared over several years.
The creation of new material and attempts to obtain images directly from young people also distinguish the case from passive possession alone.
Digital Child Exploitation Team carried out 52 warrants in 2025
The Department of Internal Affairs said its Digital Child Exploitation Team conducted 52 search warrants during 2025 relating to online child sexual exploitation offences.
The team also helped safeguard 24 New Zealand children from harm during the year.
DIA’s Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System blocked close to 700,000 attempts to access websites hosting child sexual abuse material in 2025.
The filtering system is designed to prevent access to known websites containing illegal child sexual abuse material while specialist investigators work to identify offenders and protect children.
A reminder for parents and young people
The case also serves as a warning about the risks posed by people using false identities online.
Children and teenagers can be targeted through social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms and other online services by people pretending to be someone of a similar age.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to talk openly with young people about online relationships, requests for private images and threats or pressure from people they meet online.
Young people who are being threatened or blackmailed should be encouraged to seek help rather than trying to manage the situation alone.
Stopping contact, preserving evidence and reporting the behaviour can help investigators identify offenders and prevent further harm.
Investigation shows scale of online exploitation challenge
The Phillips case is one example of the broader challenge facing agencies investigating child exploitation online.
Offenders can use multiple accounts, encrypted communications, fake identities and large collections of digital material to conceal their activities.
For investigators, tracing those networks can require detailed forensic work across devices, accounts and online conversations.
DIA said the purpose of that work remains straightforward: identifying offenders, removing illegal material and protecting children from further exploitation.
Source
Department of Internal Affairs media release, 28 August 2026.
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