A British national was sentenced to 12 years in prison yesterday by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for purchasing child prostitutes.
Five Cambodians were also jailed after they were found guilty of being accomplices.
Michael Julian Leach, a 50-year-old former UK government policy adviser , was arrested at a guesthouse in Kandal province last September on suspicion of having sex with girls aged between 10 and 15.
Presiding Judge Chea Sokheng ordered Leach to pay two victims 12 million riel (US$ 3,000) each and said he would be expelled from the Kingdom when released from prison.
Accomplices Penh Phath and Eth Oeun were sentenced to two years in prison. Accompli-ces Hay Sela and Sem Dek were sentenced to four years each.
The judge also sentenced fug-itive accomplice Sam Savoeun to eight years’ jail.
Leach’s attorney, Theng Meng Y, said he would appeal against the verdict.
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