A chief monk was convicted of raping “more than 10” young novices and sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Siem Reap Provincial Court yesterday, court officials said.

Keut Sovanareth, the provincial prosecutor, said the verdict was reached the same day as the conviction against Vong Chet, 46.

Chet was arrested in November after the parents of nine boys aged 9 to 16 accused him of having sex with them.

More victims were identified during an investigation. One of them had been raped between 10 and 20 times according to anti-trafficking authorities.

Before being defrocked following his arrest, Chet was the head of Ratanak Mony Rong Ko pagoda in Kralanh district.

Rights group Adhoc said at the time of his arrest that temples provide ample opportunity for would-be sexual predators.