Australian jailed for abusing minors in Cambodia

ANKARA

A court in Australia jailed a man from Adelaide for over eight years after finding him guilty of sexually abusing children in Cambodia.

Judgement read by Judge Paul Cuthbertson on Sept. 17, found Geoffrey William Moyle, 48, having filmed himself sexually abusing multiple children in Cambodia, who were between the ages of 10 and 14, ABC News reported.

Moyle would later upload the videos online, causing concern among his victims who are now in their 20s.

He was arrested last May, and pleaded guilty to 11 charges including nine relating to sexual abuse of children in Cambodia between 2002 and 2005.

He committed the offense while allegedly working as a foreign aid worker for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, a claim refuted by the department.

Moyle will spend eight years and nine months in prison with a non-parole period of four years and six months.

His sentence also includes nine months for “possessing child exploitation material in Australia in 2019.”

In July, a former captain in the US Marine Corps was found guilty of sexually abusing minors in the Southeast Asian country. Michael J. Pepe, 67, committed the offenses in 2005.

'Most vile activity'

“Over a period of approximately two to three years, the offender was involved in the most vile sexual activity against children of the age of about 10 to 12 years old,” Judge Cuthbertson said.

“He must have known the children he sexually assaulted will be exploited, that this activity towards them will likely wreck their lives and their futures.”

Australian Federal Police (AFP) Detective Superintendent Gail McClure said “law enforcement would continue to work relentlessly to bring these sorts of evil perpetrators to justice.”

“I'd like to issue a warning to any other individual who would seek to prey upon vulnerable children: the AFP and its partners will come for you, no matter when the abuse occurred and no matter where you are in the world,” she warned. “There's nowhere for you to hide.”

Pablo Kang, the Australian ambassador to Cambodia, said in Phnom Penh: “I would like to acknowledge the significant cooperation between Australian and Cambodian law enforcement, as well as NGOs, to secure this outcome.”

“The tireless efforts of all law enforcement officials involved, send a strong message that Australia does not accept any form of child abuse. Law enforcement won’t stop until offenders are brought to justice to protect children,” Kang said.