The Appeal Court yesterday upheld the Siem Reap Provincial Court’s 2011 sentence of Danish businessman Sven Eric Jonasson, 66, to eight years in prison for procuring and engaging in sex with five underage boys in Siem Reap province.

The court also upheld the five-year sentence of Thorn Thea, 22, for helping procure the boys.

Seila Samleang, country director for Action Pour Les Enfants, said Jonasson had employed the boys, aged between 15 and 17, as prostitutes at his guesthouse in Siem Reap province from 2009 until his arrest in 2010.

He added that Jonasson was arrested after Norwegian national Rolf Sletten, 64, was apprehended at Jonasson’s guesthouse in 2010.  

The court also upheld the order that Jonason pay his five victims a total of 20 million riel (about $5,000) in compensation.

“The convicted persons have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court,” said presiding judge Chan Madina.

Sven Eric Jonasson, Thorn Thea and their lawyer could not be reached for comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Buth Reaksmey Kongkea at [email protected]