A man in Wilderness in the southern Cape has been sentenced to 12 years behind bars for the possession of child pornography.

Tyrone James‚ 40‚ was sentenced by the George Magistrate’s Court last week.

Police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Poje said James was arrested at a roadblock in 2016.

“He was pulled over. The police found drugs in his possession. Our members also noticed that he had child pornography on his phone‚” said Poje.

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has welcomed the sentence.

“The ACDP joins many others in welcoming the 12-year sentence of a man in the southern Cape for possession of child pornography‚” said MP Cheryllyn Dudley.

“It is not just child pornography that increases the harm being done to our children. It is unfettered access to adult pornography that is making our children more vulnerable and placing them in horrendous situations‚” said Dudley.

“Pornography use is rife in South Africa. We are in the top 20 of users in the world and number one in the world for accessing pornography via smartphones.

“At the same time‚ sexual violence in South Africa continues unabated‚ with mostly adult males abusing and violating women and children.

“Despite the volumes of research and scientific evidence showing that pornography use is a cause of sexual violence‚ government is turning a deaf ear and blind eye in terms of adult pornography and its effects on children. Seemingly the multi-billion-dollar industry has a stranglehold on us‚ which needs to be broken‚” added Dudley.