KZN man gets five years behind bars for possession of child pornography

A 46-year-old man will serve five years behind bars after being convicted for possession of child pornography.

Bret Allen Steven was arrested on March 30 2019 by detectives from the provincial family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FCS) unit specialising in electronic crimes investigations.

Steven was arrested in Betania, Port Shepstone, after being found with 467 images of child pornography on his tablet and cellphone.

The Port Shepstone magistrate’s court sentenced Steven to 10 years in prison, with five years suspended, on Thursday.

He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be included in the national register for sex offenders.

The register‚ kept by the justice department‚ is a record of the names of people found guilty of sexual offences against children and mentally disabled people.

The register is not open to the public and is kept confidential.

It gives employers in the public or private sectors such as schools‚ crèches and hospitals the right to check that a person being hired is fit to work with children or mentally disabled people.