Former Canterbury cricketer jailed for child porn collection named

A Canterbury sportsman who was jailed for possessing child pornography has forsaken efforts to keep permanent name suppression. 

Harley Thomas George James was found to have 3450 images and videos hidden on a computer, involving sadism and sexual abuse of children.

The 39-year-old was sentenced to two years and three months in jail after he pleaded guilty to two charges of distributing nine objectionable child abuse images online and one charge of possessing 3450 of them in the Christchurch District Court.

Sixty five percent of the content has been described as being at the worst level of child sexual abuse. 

James was due to have his appeal for permanent name suppression heard in the High Court on August 9, Court News reports.

However, his defence counsel Andrew McCormick has now filed notice that the appeal has been abandoned. 

James played cricket for Canterbury in the late 1990s. 

Mr McCormick said James was well known in church and sporting circles in the Canterbury community where he lives. 

Newshub.