An Invercargill retailer has been fined and ordered to destroy his remaining stock of garments which featured the slogan "Jesus is a c***" and a picture of a semi-naked nun masturbating.

Impuls'd owner Warren Skill, 35, was charged with possessing objectionable material after someone complained to the Internal Affairs Department about people wearing the clothing around Invercargill last year.

Police seized the "Vestal Masturbation" tops, from the merchandise range of British metal band Cradle of Filth.

Skill was fined $500 and an order was made to destroy the eight remaining t-shirts and hoodies when he appeared in Invercargill District Court on Tuesday, the Southland Times reported.

He had earlier said the garments were one of his fastest-selling items and was unaware they were banned.

In 2008, the chief censor banned t-shirts with the same wording, making it illegal to wear it or sell or distribute it after they were deemed to be demeaning and degrading to women and Christians, especially involving a highly offensive word.