Aussie Arrested in Koh Phangan for 15 Sexual Assault Cases in Australia

[webfact]

 

Surat Thani Immigration Police have apprehended an Australian fugitive wanted for 15 cases of sexual assault and rape, who was hiding in Thailand for retirement.

 

On September 12, Pol. Col. Naruwat Phuthawiro, Superintendent of Surat Thani Immigration, along with Pol. Lt. Col. Sangwansap Lapsanong and Pol. Lt. Col. Sirivat Somwang, both Deputy Superintendents, and an investigative team detained Mr. Helio, a 62-year-old Australian national, for overstaying his visa.

 

It was discovered that Mr. Helio was subject to an INTERPOL Blue Notice for multiple sexual assault and rape charges in Australia.

Pol. Col. Naruwat reported that the investigation team received a tip about Mr. Helio, who had been committing sexual crimes in Australia since 2017 and was hiding in Thailand.

 

Mr. Helio entered Thailand on June 16, 2024, with a tourist exemption visa valid until July 15, 2024. He extended his stay by another 30 days, until August 15, 2024.

 

Picture courtesy: Daily News

 

During this time, Mr. Helio applied for an extension to live in Thailand for retirement, which had already expired. The team later located his residence at a resort on Koh Phangan and arrested him for overstaying his visa. He was handed over to the Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal action.

 

Pol. Col. Naruwat emphasized that Mr. Helio’s criminal record posed a risk of further crimes if he continued to evade capture in Thailand. For public safety, citizens are urged to report any suspicious foreigners or tourists who might be criminals to Surat Thani Immigration to help prevent crimes and ensure safety in the province.

 

TOP Picture courtesy: Daily News

 

-- 2024-09-13
 

 

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[JoePai]

So the 'Blue' Interpol notices work were as the 'Red' do not ?

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr. Helio entered Thailand on June 16, 2024, with a tourist exemption visa valid until July 15, 2024. He extended his stay by another 30 days, until August 15, 2024.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

During this time, Mr. Helio applied for an extension to live in Thailand for retirement, which had already expired.

Sorry I do not understand, "he applied for an extension which had already expired" 

 Please explain.

 

Hello, Helio........ Goodbyeio

[bkk6060]

Disgusting Aussie. I wonder how many of his sick crimes he has commited here? Send him home!

[Tropicalevo]

53 minutes ago, JoePai said:

So the 'Blue' Interpol notices work were as the 'Red' do not ?

Only if the police really want to arrest someone. ie a foreigner.

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, JoePai said:

So the 'Blue' Interpol notices work were as the 'Red' do not ?

As I read it, they arrested him for overstaying his permission to stay, and after that discovered he had a blue notice on him.

[Celsius]

How come he wasn't stopped at the airport or the rigorous Thai immigration system.

 

Is this how taxing foreigners is going to work too? 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr. Helio was subject to an INTERPOL Blue Notice for multiple sexual assault and rape charges in Australia.

 

[webfact]

Australian man arrested on Koh Pha Ngan for 15 sexual assaults
by Petch Petpailin

 

Photo via Facebook/ tourthai news

Immigration Bureau officers arrested an Australian man who had evaded justice for 15 sexual assault cases in his home country. He was found hiding on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in Surat Thani Province.

 

The Commander of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sukvimol, instructed officers, particularly those from the Immigration Bureau, to intensify their efforts in investigating illegal foreigners in Thailand. This crackdown aims to prevent the country from being used as a refuge for criminal activities or a hideout for fugitives.

 

The Surat Thani Provincial Immigration Office responded to the policy, leading to multiple arrests of illegal foreigners in the province and its renowned island, Koh Pha Ngan.

 

As part of this ongoing operation, a recent arrest was made of 62 year old Australian man Helio Taiyang Richardson on September 12. Immigration police found Richardson on the Interpol blue notice wanted list for a series of sexual assaults in Australia.

Officers discovered that Richardson arrived in Thailand on June 16, this year and visited Koh Pha Ngan. His visa expired on July 15, 2024, but he renewed it for travel purposes, extending its validity until August 14. Officers also found that Richardson planned to apply for a retirement visa to spend the rest of his life in Thailand.

 

Immigration police arrested Richardson at a resort on the island yesterday. He will be charged with overstaying his visa in Thailand before being transferred to Australia for legal proceedings related to the sexual assault cases.

 

The Immigration Bureau urged anyone who witnesses illegal activities by foreigners or has useful information about illegal foreign nationals to report it to the bureau for the safety of both locals and tourists.

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2024-09-13

 

 

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[MalcolmB]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Australian man Helio Taiyang Richardson

Doesn’t sound like an Australian name to me.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

This crackdown aims to prevent the country from being used as a refuge for criminal activities or a hideout for fugitives.

Well - so far they have certainly failed. Thailand has a reputation for Prostitutes and for Hiding.

Living in a tin shack on the beach - I mean who would notice you being there.

Clearly this bloke did not have enough money to hide away enough - unlike some people in Thailand.   

[nakhonandy]

What is strange is the Interpol blue notice didn't flag him to immigration on his first entry to Thailand.

[Babasino]

I not understand, why they not discover him allready on the airport immigration, there they check every passport, but not looking on the blacklist who is wanted from interpol?

He shouldn't come in the country in first place. Another mistake of thai officials, seem they don't care who come in the country, just bring the cash.....And who knows how many he has raped here?

[Butts]

Send him to Thai Jail Aussie Jail protects these Predators

[Zack61]

GOTCHA!!!!

[harryviking]

I am for removing these scumbags balls once and for all!! These people must never be able to walk free again! 

[dundas]

Well, Thai Immigration picked up a footballer who had fled a middle-eastern country after stating his mind a bit too publicly, and who had then successfully gained the protection of the Australian government. He had a dodgy Interpol notice against him, and he narrowly escaped being extradited to the hell-hole he had fled. My point: Thai Immigration do know about Interpol notices, at least some of the time. 

[animalmagic]

 

For reference - 

Red Notice: To seek the location and arrest of persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence.

Yellow Notice: To help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves.

Blue Notice: To collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.               

Black Notice: To seek information on unidentified bodies.

Green Notice: To provide warning about a person’s criminal activities, where the person is considered to be a possible threat to public safety.

Orange Notice: To warn of an event, a person, an object or a process representing a serious and imminent threat to public safety.

Purple Notice: To seek or provide information on modus operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.

INTERPOL–United Nations Security Council Special Notice: Issued for entities and individuals who are the targets of UN Security Council Sanctions Committees.

[norsurin]

11 minutes ago, Babasino said:

I not understand, why they not discover him allready on the airport immigration, there they check every passport, but not looking on the blacklist who is wanted from interpol?

He shouldn't come in the country in first place. Another mistake of thai officials, seem they don't care who come in the country, just bring the cash.....And who knows how many he has raped here?

3 times i see the foreigner get arrested in the airport in Bangkok after they handle their passport to immigration.

[Taboo2]

Send him to IDC and then back to OZ!....He is in need of special treatment in prison in Australia.  

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

So the 'Blue' Interpol notices work were as the 'Red' do not ?

He did not have the rich family connections

[Hakuna Matata]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Surat Thani Immigration Police have apprehended an Australian fugitive wanted for 15 cases of sexual assault and rape, who was hiding in Thailand for retirement.

 

Well done RTP! Please keep up your good work.

 

How many thousands of them are still hiding in Thailand! A safe heaven for fugitives and criminals from all over the world.

 

Stricter visa rules are required.

 

[Foxx]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

Doesn’t sound like an Australian name to me.

 

He appears to be Estonian by birth, and (assuming it's the same person) is on record as having a business in Kujressare, Estonia producing videos and TV shows.  What sort of videos, one could wonder.

[Ironmike]

The victims of his crimes should be given a baseball bat and 20 minutes in a cell with him

[Ebumbu]

Life is so much easier when you don't commit 15 sexual assaults and rape.  

[2long]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

Doesn’t sound like an Australian name to me.

What does an Australian name sound like, then?

The country has been raped by immigrants and colonisers for over 200 years. Surely only an aboriginal name is a true Aussie one.

[2long]

12 minutes ago, Foxx said:

 

He appears to be Estonian by birth, and (assuming it's the same person) is on record as having a business in Kujressare, Estonia producing videos and TV shows.  What sort of videos, one could wonder.

How can you assume that this is the same person just by a name, and accuse him of making lewd videos?

[Andrew65]

Soon to be Mr Goodbye! 😬

[ryandb]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

Doesn’t sound like an Australian name to me.

Richardson is a very anglosphere family name, you realize you can name your kid whatever weird name you like...

[Thumbs]

Immigration seem a bit top heavy with the Lt Col rank, not sure it takes 3 to arrest an overstayer plus an investigation team

[ThaiFelix]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

Doesn’t sound like an Australian name to me.

No not like Rahil or Gunga Din.  Maybe he is one of the original white natives.