Murray Bruce Sakey, a 74-year-old author and former music teacher has been sentenced to five months of community detention and 15 months of intensive supervision after pleading guilty to possessing child exploitation materials.
The sentencing in Waitakere District Court followed the discovery of hundreds of objectionable images and a graphic novel featuring child abuse on a USB drive left in his former home. Sakey, who writes under the pseudonym ‘Morgan Bruce’, claimed the materials were used for inspiration for his fiction books about young boys.
Judge Terence Singh noted Sakey’s remorse and lack of prior convictions but highlighted a report describing him as entitled with low empathy. Although the prosecution pushed for Sakey to be added to the sex offender register, the judge declined, citing Sakey’s remorse, age, and previous good character. The court acknowledged the long duration of Sakey’s offending, which spanned 12 years, but ultimately opted for a non-custodial sentence.
Image credit: Sara Kurfess
