NPA hails 12-year direct imprisonment for man convicted of child porn, animal cruelty and possession of illegal firearm

CORNE van Rooyen has been handed an effective 12-year direct imprisonment after pleading guilty to illegally downloading and distributing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.

He was sentenced to a total of 49 years' direct imprisonment for all 10 charges. However, the court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in 12 years' direct imprisonment. 

The Blue Downs Regional Court further ordered the six cell phones, three USB drives, three memory cards, a laptop and an external hard drive seized from him be forfeited to the State. The court ordered his name to be entered into the National Register of Sex Offenders and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

Van Royen pleaded guilty to unlawful and intentional distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, unlawful and intentional assist in or facilitating child pornography, two counts of illegal possession of a firearm, two counts of illegal possession of ammunition, two counts of cruelty to animals and restricted activity involving threatened or protected species without a permit, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Police had raided his Kraaifontein home on January 18,  2024 and found a 12-gauge Astra shotgun and a 9mm short Beretta firearm. During his arrest, police also found that he was ill-treating the two dogs, three snakes and fish that were found on the property by not feeding them properly. 

He also admitted to being in possession of a Pitbull terrier, which he tied to a short rope without any access to shade, contravening Section 2(1)(a) read with Sections 1, 3 & 4 of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, said NPA spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila. 

In his plea, Van Rooyen also admitted  to downloading an instant messaging mobile application where one can transmit and receive messages, photos and videos.

“His username was “COME’ and his unmasking came up after officials of the United States Department of Homeland Security (HSI), infiltrated the relevant social media platform, identified him as the person with the username “COME”.

"He was linked via his user details as a person who had downloaded and distributed child pornography with other like-minded users. He said he joined the group because Viber was a social platform that promoted the selling of child pornography. He downloaded 453 images and videos of child pornography to store on his cell phone and other devices. When online, he broadcast his collection of child pornography to other users. He further confessed that he viewed child pornography and assisted or facilitated child pornography."

 Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Adv Nicolette Bell hailed , the prosecution and investigation teams saying each of these successful prosecutions was the culmination of months and even years of painstaking investigative and prosecutorial work.

CAPE TIMES