Wellington - A 75-year-old New Zealand man has been jailed for two years on 27 charges of possessing objectionable images, mainly of young boys in sexual poses or acts, following a tip-off from police in Germany, news reports said Thursday.

The Department of Internal Affairs said that Edward Kent, of Christchurch, was the oldest person to be prosecuted for possessing sex pictures obtained via the internet.

Also, a former teacher, Malcolm Albert Spark, 60, of Kaiapoi, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison in Christchurch Thursday after a jury found him guilty on 24 charges of making or possessing objectionable publications.

The prosecution said he groomed and manipulated young girls into performing sexual acts on internet chat lines and was charged after a mother complained about the content of an online discussion her 11-year-old daughter was engaged in.

Keith Manch, of the Department of Internal Affairs, said, "This is a lesson for all parents to be aware of what their children may be up to on the internet.

"Computers should be kept in family space so that access can be monitored."