Briton Paul Ian Bower (C) is is seen being escorted by police as he leaves a police station in Phnom Penh in this January 22, 2007 file photo. A Cambodian court cleared a 42-year-old Briton on Friday of sexually abusing two boys aged 12 and 14 after they withdrew their allegations against him. REUTERS/Stringer/Files Fri Jun 29, 2007
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A Cambodian court cleared a 42-year-old Briton on Friday of sexually abusing two boys aged 12 and 14 after they withdrew their allegations against him.
Paul Ian Bower, who was working as an English teacher in the impoverished southeast Asian nation, was cleared of all charges after the two boys told the court Bower "did not do anything".
Child sex in Cambodia, which is trying hard to rid itself of its reputation as a haven for paedophiles and perverts, carries a jail term of between 10 and 20 years.
Bower was arrested in January at his rented Phnom Penh home and had to spend six months in detention while investigating judges probed the charges. At Friday's hearing, he appeared to be shivering and in poor health.
On being cleared, he said: "Justice is done".
Paul Ian Bower, who was working as an English teacher in the impoverished southeast Asian nation, was cleared of all charges after the two boys told the court Bower "did not do anything".
Child sex in Cambodia, which is trying hard to rid itself of its reputation as a haven for paedophiles and perverts, carries a jail term of between 10 and 20 years.
Bower was arrested in January at his rented Phnom Penh home and had to spend six months in detention while investigating judges probed the charges. At Friday's hearing, he appeared to be shivering and in poor health.
On being cleared, he said: "Justice is done".
4 comments:
This is a sad story. Since there are foreigners coming to Cambodia for child sex, this has changed the whole perception of foreigners who are seen or work with young children by the population. Once an accusation is made, the foreigner is as much as guilty right then. Of course, this attitude also opens the doors to attempted blackmail. Thankfully, these two boys stuck to the truth. But the man still had to spend six months in jail.
If they had NOT recanted their story, they Brit would undoubtedly been convicted. Several accused foreigners have been convicted even AFTER the 'victims' recanted (se Desault, Johnson, Cleghorn) The term :fair trial' in Cambodia is an oxymoron.The amazing thing is that the boys (and their families) probablysacrificed a large monetary 'compensation' which is standard in such cases and which has contributed to the creation of a cottage industry of falsely accusing Western foreigners.
concidering paul bower was convicted in england a few years ago and then fled england for cambodia which was around the same time gary glitter was in the media for the same crime it makes you wonder if he was guilty.
paul ian gower has a conviction for interferring with young boys in england so guilty as charged i say lock him up till he rots
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