Phnom Penh – On Friday, August 09th
of 2019, The Phnom Penh Municipal Court pronounced a verdict against U.K.
national Mr. Stephen John Loryman, found guilty of “Indecent
Act Against a Minor Under 15 Years” under the Law on Suppression of
Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation.
The man
was sentenced
to 15 months in jail with a 3 months suspension. Loryman was also ordered to
pay a compensation of approximately $1,500 to 2 child victims and a fine of
$750. Additionally, the offender was banned from Cambodia for 3 years following
his jail term.
Mr. Loryman’s journey to being
brought to justice dates back to September 2018, when APLE Cambodia received an
initial tip-off from two confidential sources and started
cooperating with the Cambodian National Police to investigate the alleged
abuse.
On November 27th of 2018, the offender was arrested by the Phnom Penh Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Police. Six child victims with ages ranging between 9 and 13 years old were rescued, and five of them confirmed that they had been sexually abused by the 57-year-old man.
The offender had rented an
apartment in Phnom Penh and brought several street boys into his room in the
apartment, where the alleged sexual abuses took place. He taught them English,
fed them, supported their school fees and allowed the boys to play in his
apartment, gaining their trust before abusing them.
Mr. Loryman was a teacher at a private school in Phnom Penh, and had been fired from a volunteering position at one organisation due to his suspicious behaviour with children.
“I applaud the order of ‘ban
on stay’ by the court. This allows safer space for children in the community.
However, stronger collaboration between relevant stakeholders across the
country, region and globe is necessarily needed to address child sexual abuse
and exploitation in travel and tourism.” said Vando Khoem, APLE’s Child Protection
Specialist.
