The first New Zealander to be convicted of importing a child sex doll will remain behind bars after his appeal against his sentence was dismissed. He acknowledged that Mr Heppleston posed, at the very least, a moderate risk to children. For those reasons, I consider he was correct to reserve the option of home detention for an address that is not just technically suitable, but located in a suitable environment, away from the direct possibility of contact with children.
Heppleston was arrested in May , after Customs officers at the Air Cargo Inspection Facility in Auckland examined a package from China and found it contained a life-like sex doll resembling a young girl. The circumstances of the breach were very different from meeting a young person at the park and beginning to engage in a relationship with them.
Heppleston also argued home detention would allow him to apply for an intensive month rehabilitation course. In prison, he was only eligible for a short intervention programme.
However, I consider this must come second to the needs of the community. Child sex doll importer Stephen Heppleston loses appeal of jail sentence. Joanne Holden , Dec 23 File photo.
