A former Auckland community board chair has been sent to jail after he spent more than 100 thousand dollars, over 10 years, watching live child sex abuse online

Seventy-five-year-old Martin Lawes was sentenced to four and a half years in prison in the High Court at Auckland this morning.

His lawyer, David Jones QC, said he now has insight and empathy into his offending and has donated 45 thousand dollars to charities that combat child sexual exploitation.

Justice Edwin Wylie isn't persuaded he's remorseful and describes Lawes' offending as serious, repetitive and consistent.

However, he gave Lawes a 25 per cent discount for his guilty plea and small discounts for previous good character, his age, co-operating with police and donating to the charities.