Former British government adviser jailed for 12 years

[FarangRed]

Former British government adviser jailed for 12 years for sexually abusing young girls in Cambodia

• Paedophile Michael Leach was former DTI adviser
• Conviction comes after second arrest in Phnom Penh

A former senior adviser to the British government has been sentenced to 12 years in a Cambodian jail for sexually abusing three young girls.


Michael Leach, who worked closely with ministers at the Department of Trade and Industry, was arrested last September near Phnom Penh, the country's capital.


The 51-year-old pervert was found living in a guesthouse where he had been abusing three girls aged 10, 12 and 15 years old.

Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, close to where the offences took place. Cambodia has targeted sex offenders in recent years but it remains a magnet for paedophiles because of poverty and poor law enforcement


Leach once attended a Commonwealth Summit with Labour Minister for Energy Stephen Timms, and also represented Britain at trade fares across the globe.


He was a senior advisor in the DTI specialising in international communications until 2005.


That year he was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing children at a Phnom Penh orphanage.

After 10 hours in custody he was released without charge, the People reported at the time of his September arrest.


Returning to the UK in 2006, Leach joined OFCOM, the communications watchdog, which he represented at a major European conference.
Today Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge Oeung Seang also ordered Leach to pay 12million riel (£1,840) to one of the victims.

Compensation had already been paid to the other two girls.

Cambodia has targeted sex offenders in recent years but it remains a magnet for paedophiles because of poverty and poor law enforcement.

An aid agency that works with victims of child sex abuse warned that sex tourism remains rife in many poorer parts of the world.

Erica Hall, child rights specialist with World Vision UK, said that Leach’s conviction was just the tip of an iceberg.

World Vision UK believes that there are many British sex offenders who continue to prey on children abroad with relative impunity,' she said.

'More research needs to be done, but there is evidence to suggest that as South East Asia becomes an increasingly difficult place in which to operate, not least because of convictions of offenders such as Leach, offenders are targeting other countries, closer to home.'

Registered sex offenders are still allowed to travel overseas without telling the UK authorities as long as they return within three days.

Recent cases have shown British travellers and expatriates have been involved in the abuse of children in countries such as Albania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic – all of which can be reached within the three-day limit.

Read more: Former senior Government adviser jailed for 12 years for sexually abusing young girls in Cambodia | Mail Online

[Jools]

Not really surprising but sad and sick, nevertheless.

[Sailing into trouble]

What a sad story with a happy ending! Good on the Cambodian Courts.

[The Master Cool]

Today Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge Oeung Seang also ordered Leach to pay 12million riel (£1,840) to one of the victims.

Compensation had already been paid to the other two girls.

I hope that isn't printed in the Cambodian media. The queue of Cambodian mothers wanting to sell their daughter for sex and compo would be around the block.

[natalie8]

Registered sex offenders are still allowed to travel overseas without telling the UK authorities as long as they return within three days.

That's good. How can you go overseas for only three days? They could just choose not to go back.

Recent cases have shown British travellers and expatriates have been involved in the abuse of children in countries such as Albania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic – all of which can be reached within the three-day limit.

A, B, C, OK. I wouldn't really call those countries 'overseas', but I guess technically they are.

[natalie8]

It never occured to them that pedophiles would go to Asia? The flight is what, 16 hours? What's this garbage about reaching somewhere in 3 days?

[English Noodles]

What's this garbage about reaching somewhere in 3 days?

I think they mean that if they spend less than three days out of the country then it pretty much goes without notice. So for example, an individual could jump on the 3h 20m duration flight from London to Bucharest on Friday morning, spend the weekend there and be back on Sunday afternoon with people more or less non the wiser about it. The flight duration between Asia and Western Europe obviously would make it prohibitive to do similar between the 2 continents.

Personally I think people convicted of sex crimes against children should have their right to a passport withdrawn.

[nostromo]

French and germans are not getting caught. Why? Is the UK police the last functioning law enforcement in Europe? Appears so

[nostromo]

noodle your "Show me a Chinese knight, and I'll show you a chink in his armour."

is something I do find offensive. Me and my army and the Chinese people and the UK and US, we do rule the world you know. Nuke Belgium option is closer by the minute.

[Pol the Pot]

French and germans are not getting caught. Why? Is the UK police the last functioning law enforcement in Europe? Appears so

Do you read and follow French and German media?

[natalie8]

Personally I think people convicted of sex crimes against children should have their right to a passport withdrawn.

Abso-f*ckin-lutely. In Canada they withdraw passports from men who don't pay their child support. There's a bit of a mismatch there.

[nostromo]

French and germans are not getting caught. Why? Is the UK police the last functioning law enforcement in Europe? Appears so

Do you read and follow French and German media?

I do. Well, some of it, primarily German (French do not matter really), mostly not for fun but for work. Following what Deutsche Bank does, that sort of thing. Merkel is in trouble now. Spiegel had a nice article about nature. They do have english editions and you can use google translator. I learned German and French in school last century, why, is there no education any more. Merde.

[spikebs4]

english noodles...passport withdrawn...personally speaking any man/woman who commit crimes of this nature against children, and proven 100 per-cent should have there last breath withdrawn from there body.. just read of a case in the states, 24 year-old mother has been charged with rape of her 10 month old son, and filming it and then giving the film to her boyfriend to view...un-fkin-believable...

[Orroz]

Imagine it...12 years in a Cambo jail. Makes me shudder just thinking about it.

[FarangRed]

British paedo nicked... as child victims weep

Moment the law caught up with civil servant


British paedo nicked... as child victims weep | The Sun |Features

[FarangRed]

^^^^^^^^Watch the video the fucking sad bastard

[jamiejambos]

I was going to label him a complete and utter WANKER, but that would be offensive to wanker"s........the kiddy-fiddler got what he deserved-12 years of hell in a cambodian jail..

[Pol the Pot]

If he's got money it won't be hell. Better he'd get sent back to the UK and did his spell there.

[FarangRed]

Can buy your way out in Cambodia also?

Why they not arrest them that set it up

[Pol the Pot]

He could buy his way completely out but that'd cost big bucks.

I don't think he has that kind of money.

Also the prison guards aren't stupid. They won't kill the goose. They'll milk him.

For money he could get more space, better food, maybe a hand phone, more outside time, visits etc.

Just for comparison, a bar owner here was imprisoned on trumped up charges a year or two ago, something to do with unhappy staff accusing him of treating them badly.

He was held without charges for nearly six months and then let go after he paid 40 000USD.

[ribblerat]

He could buy his way completely out but that'd cost big bucks.

I don't think he has that kind of money.

Also the prison guards aren't stupid. They won't kill the goose. They'll milk him.

For money he could get more space, better food, maybe a hand phone, more outside time, visits etc.

Just for comparison, a bar owner here was imprisoned on trumped up charges a year or two ago, something to do with unhappy staff accusing him of treating them badly.

He was held without charges for nearly six months and then let go after he paid 40 000USD.

Yeah !! They will milk the hell out of the cnut !! He's bound to have a reasonable wedge in the bank after working those high profile appointments , along with not one but possibly two UK property's , i hope that they milk every last cent out of him and leave him broke and homeless when he gets out ..

[FarangRed]

What happens to all the pimps supplying the kids?

[Fondles]

What happens to all the pimps supplying the kids?

They are preparing dinner for their husbands.

[khmen]

French and germans are not getting caught. Why? Is the UK police the last functioning law enforcement in Europe? Appears so

Do you read and follow French and German media?

I do. Well, some of it, primarily German (French do not matter really), mostly not for fun but for work. Following what Deutsche Bank does, that sort of thing. Merkel is in trouble now. Spiegel had a nice article about nature. They do have english editions and you can use google translator. I learned German and French in school last century, why, is there no education any more. Merde.

Well, maybe you should read the Cambodian media then and youll see plenty of sick fucks from France and Germany getting nicked.

[k1klass]

He could buy his way completely out but that'd cost big bucks.

I don't think he has that kind of money.

Also the prison guards aren't stupid. They won't kill the goose. They'll milk him.

For money he could get more space, better food, maybe a hand phone, more outside time, visits etc.

Just for comparison, a bar owner here was imprisoned on trumped up charges a year or two ago, something to do with unhappy staff accusing him of treating them badly.

He was held without charges for nearly six months and then let go after he paid 40 000USD.

Yeah !! They will milk the hell out of the cnut !! He's bound to have a reasonable wedge in the bank after working those high profile appointments , along with not one but possibly two UK property's , i hope that they milk every last cent out of him and leave him broke and homeless when he gets out ..

i totally agree