A British Columbia schoolteacher who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy was sentenced Friday to three years and three months in jail in Thailand.
Christopher Paul Neil, who taught in several Asian countries, was arrested last year following an international manhunt after hundreds of photos of him allegedly engaging in sex acts with young boys were discovered on the Internet.
Howard Miller, director of Pattay One News in Bangkok, told CTV's Canada AM that many in Thailand were expecting a much harsher sentence.
"His actual sentence was six years, six months, which was halved (by the court) because he pleaded guilty back on May 12," Miller said.
The Thai court also imposed a 60,000 baht (C$1,892) fine on the 32-year-old man.
According to Miller, "The fine was imposed as a financial compensation for the family of the victim."
Neil still faces similar charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty, involving the younger brother of the 13-year-old victim. In that case, he faces up to 20 years in jail for charges that include sexually abusing a minor, videotaping the alleged abuse, taking a child without parental consent, and holding him against his will.
The child who was nine years old at the time claims Neil paid him to perform oral sex in 2003. That trial resumes on Oct. 7.
"OK," was Neil's only comment to reporters after the verdict was read. His interpreter said Neil, dressed in a prison uniform and wearing ankle chains, would not appeal.
Miller said the demeanour was characteristic of Neil: "He looked very cool, as he has done in previous court appearances here in Thailand, and when the sentence was read out, he just simply said 'OK,' which was typical of his manner in the court proceedings here in Thailand."
During the trial, the victim, 18, testified he went to Neil's apartment in Bangkok where the crime was committed. Photos that allegedly showed Neil engaging in sexual acts and playing with naked or partially clothed young boys were also presented.
Neil was arrested in Thailand on Oct. 19, 2007, after the international police agency Interpol unscrambled swirled digital images from about 200 Internet photos, which allegedly show Neil engaging in sexual acts with young boys. Neil admitted through his translator that he took the photos but said he did not post the pictures online.
Hundreds of tips were received and Neil was arrested 11 days after the Interpol appeal was launched.
Neil, from Maple Ridge, B.C., is expected to serve his sentence at Bangkok's main prison.
"It's not particularly nice," Miller said, "poor conditions, poor ventilation, it's very hot here in Thailand, so he won't have a good time during his 3 years and 3 month sentence."
Child activists react
Sex tourism expert Benjamin Perrin of the University of British Columbia told 麻豆影视 that the problem of Canadians going abroad to abuse children hasn't been isn't being taken seriously in Canada. Since sext-tourism legislation was passed a decade ago only one person -- another B.C. man -- has been charged under the law.
Rosalind Prober of Beyond Borders, a children's rights organization, told 麻豆影视net from Bangkok she wasn't surprised by the length of the sentence.
"There was concern about it, but in actual fact this is just the first step for Christopher Neil, he did enter a guilty plea."
She said it's unclear, however, whether the initiative taken to secure this conviction will extend to battling the growing issue of sex tourism in countries where children are vulnerable.
According to Prober, "It's a huge global problem where you have western individuals, especially hardcore pedophiles who are coming to this country, and generally we would have to say that there is impunity around what they are doing, for many, many reasons."
In addition, a lack of resources and training for law enforcement, combined with a lack of political will, make these types of crimes easy to commit.
The biggest concern now, according to Prober, is whether Neil will appeal to serve his sentence in Canada, as opposed to in a Thai prison where conditions are difficult.
"The answer is Mr. Neil should do the time where he committed the crime, that is, he's chosen to come to a region where children are highly vulnerable, where there are high levels of poverty and where this crime is easy to commit. Therefore when you're caught doing this crime, you should rest in this community to serve your time."
Prober reports that both of the boys involved in Neil's court cases are living back at home and doing well.
