Reuters
Phnom Penh - A Cambodian court sentenced a Belgian to 18 years in jail on Friday for sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy, who denied anything had happened.
Philippe Dessart, 47, of Verviers, jailed in 1994 for raping boys, said he would appeal. "I am not guilty," he told Reuters as he walked to a police van to head back to prison.
Dessart was arrested in an April raid on his Phnom Penh hotel room where police found him asleep with 14-year-old Sok Davin in his bed, judge Ke Sakhan said.
"The court decided that Philippe has committed sexual abuse of the boy several times," he announced in a court room packed with activists who declared the verdict a victory in the campaign against sex with children.
"He thought it's easy to commit such a crime here. He misunderstood."
Dessart hugged the boy's relatives after the verdict was announced and said he had been helping the family and planned to marry the boy's widowed mother.
Sok Davin, said he regarded the Belgian as his stepfather.
"He never sexually abused me," he told the court.
The judge said Dessart, who was sentenced to five years in jail in Belgium in 1994 for raping three under-aged boys but served only three years, had bought a house and land for the family.
Katherine Keane of Action Pour Les Enfants, who attended the trial, hailed the verdict.
"I think Friday's decision is a very important victory in the battle to protect Cambodia's children from sexual exploitation," the Australian said.
"The sentence showed that Cambodia is no longer a safe haven for travelling sex offenders."
Philippe Dessart, 47, of Verviers, jailed in 1994 for raping boys, said he would appeal. "I am not guilty," he told Reuters as he walked to a police van to head back to prison.
Dessart was arrested in an April raid on his Phnom Penh hotel room where police found him asleep with 14-year-old Sok Davin in his bed, judge Ke Sakhan said.
"The court decided that Philippe has committed sexual abuse of the boy several times," he announced in a court room packed with activists who declared the verdict a victory in the campaign against sex with children.
"He thought it's easy to commit such a crime here. He misunderstood."
Dessart hugged the boy's relatives after the verdict was announced and said he had been helping the family and planned to marry the boy's widowed mother.
Sok Davin, said he regarded the Belgian as his stepfather.
"He never sexually abused me," he told the court.
The judge said Dessart, who was sentenced to five years in jail in Belgium in 1994 for raping three under-aged boys but served only three years, had bought a house and land for the family.
Katherine Keane of Action Pour Les Enfants, who attended the trial, hailed the verdict.
"I think Friday's decision is a very important victory in the battle to protect Cambodia's children from sexual exploitation," the Australian said.
"The sentence showed that Cambodia is no longer a safe haven for travelling sex offenders."
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