Crime

American convicted by Cambodian court for sex abuse of underage girls

Published

2 years ago

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Thaiger

PHOTO: khmer440.com

A Cambodian court has sentenced an US citizen to 2 years 6 months jail on charges of sexual abuse of three underage girls.

Ying Srang, a spokesman for the Siem Reap Provincial Court, says Rugh James Cline was convicted on Thursday over ‘indecent acts against minors under 15 years of age’. The court proceedings state he paid three underage girls for sex during visits in February and May 2019. The court also ordered Cline, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, to pay 15 million riels (US$3,750) in compensation to each of the girls.

An NGO investigating suspected foreign pedophiles in Cambodia, ‘Action Pour Les Enfants’, says the victims told police that he paid them a total of $120. The group, known by the acronym APLE, identified Cline as a lawyer.

The Cambodian penalty for purchase of child prostitution is seven to 15 years’ imprisonment when the child is under 15 years old.

APLE says that poverty and poor law enforcement make Cambodia a magnet for foreign pedophiles. Despite efforts of anti-human trafficking, police, aided by groups such as APLE, try to crack down on sex offenders.

APLE’s executive director, Seila Samleang, says… “I welcome the verdict, however the crime of purchase of child prostitution should have been charged as the offender took advantage of the victims, coercing them with money,”

“This would’ve represented a longer jail sentence.”

She urges Cambodian authorities to deport foreign sex offenders after they complete their prison terms because they could pose a risk to other local children.

SOURCE: Associated Press

Want more Thailand news from the Thaiger family?

📱 Download our app on Android or iOS for instant updates on your mobile
📝️ Join the conversation on Thaiger Talk - discuss news & life in our Thailand forums
📧 Subscribe to our daily email newsletter
👍 Like/Follow us on Facebook
🔔 Subscribe to or Join our YouTube channel for daily video updates

Join the conversation and have your say on Thailand news published on The Thaiger.

Thaiger Talk is our new Thaiger Community where you can join the discussion on everything happening in Thailand right now.

Please note that articles are not posted to the forum instantly and can take up to 20 min before being visible. Click for more information and the Thaiger Talk Guidelines.

Create an Account

Thaiger

If you have story ideas, a restaurant to review, an event to cover or an issue to discuss, contact The Thaiger editorial staff.

Up Next

Suspect confesses in “refrigerator murder” case

Don't Miss

Sit down, shut up and hang on – The Asian century is here