Today, 17 June 2016, Siem Reap provincial court sentenced a British national to 18 months for sexually abusing three underage boys.
According to Siem Reap provincial court, a 77-year-old British, Roy SHEPPARD, was convicted of “Indecent Act” of Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation against three underage boys between 12 and 16 years old. The court sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment, payment of a total of 12 million Riel compensation to the three civil plaintiffs and deportation from Cambodia after he finished his sentence.
In October 2015, Roy SHEPPARD was arrested by Siem Reap Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile protection police after receiving complaint from the parents of the three victims. Later, he was released on bail by the Siem Reap court for a health reason.
APLE Cambodia has been working extremely hard to help all the victims with their emotional treatment and seek justice for them.
At APLE, we applaud the guilty verdict against SHEPPARD, but question if SHEPPARD will be brought to serve his sentence. At the moment, he is at large.
Statistically, the number of boy and girl victims in APLE child sexual abuse cases is almost the same, urging a need to pay equal attention to both boys and girls.
“The order of deportation by the court is essential. Deportation of such offender is not only to provide full protection to victims, their families and communities where they live but also full protection and safer environment to every Cambodian child,” said Vando Khoem, program director at APLE.
