Simple appeasement sees a Tauranga man jailed for sharing footage of Christchurch terror attack while those freely promoting terror and collecting finances for it roam free in NZ. This isn’t the first man jailed for sharing the video.
A man who shared video footage of the Christchurch terror attack with eight people after advertising that he had it and was willing to send to “anyone” who wanted it has been jailed.
David John Noble, 36, was sentenced to just over two years in prison but has had the term reduced on appeal.
On March 15 last year Australian national Brenton Tarrant stormed two Christchurch mosques and opened fire, killing 51 people and wounding 40 others.
The killer livestreamed the attack on the internet.
The next day the Department of Internal Affairs advised in a public statement that the footage was deemed objectionable and it would likely be an offence for anyone to distribute it.
On March 20 Noble posted on Facebook “I’ve got the video if anyone wants it”.
“Just ask an I’ll pm it to you,” he wrote.
While some on Facebook “abused” Nobel for this, others asked for the graphic footage.
He forwarded a link of the footage to eight people.
To those who objected, he said: “I have the right to watch it and so does everyone else to make an informed decision about gun law reform.”
In April police executed a search warrant at Noble’s address under the Films, Video and Publications Act 1993.
As a result he was charged with possession of an objectionable publication, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Noble initially pleaded not guilty to all of the charges but after a sentencing indication was given he changed his tune and admitted the offending.
Court documents released to the Herald state that Noble told police after his arrest that he knew the terror attack footage had been censored.
“But (he) but believed he had the right to freedom of information,” the court heard.
In March this year Noble was given a sentence indication of two years and six months’ imprisonment.
The judge said a discount of 25 per cent would be available for a guilty plea and ruled out the prospect of home detention saying it would not be appropriate.
After the discount the sentence would have been one year, 10 months and two weeks.
On that basis Noble pleaded guilty.
