A British man was arrested on Tuesday in Siem Reap and charged with sexually abusing two under-aged boys, police said yesterday.

Provincial anti-human traf­ficking and juvenile protection police Major Doung Thavary said William Freeman, 58, was arrested in Kokchak commune after receiving complaints from the boys’ families.

“After investigation, police arrested him before he performed sexual acts on two boys aged six and 14 in a bush, while two girls were watching.”

Police said he allegedly showed the boys explicit photographs on his mobile phone and played with them, hugging and kissing them, as well as touching their genitals. He would occasionally then give them money .

The mother of the six-year-old boy told police that her child had reported the inappropriate behaviour to her.  

“Freeman used to wait in the forest in order to access the children and play with them when they went to collect firewood,” she said.

APLE project manager Khoem Vando said Freeman was a tourist who had stayed in a guesthouse in Siem Reap town.