British Ex-cop Arrested In Bangkok On Sex Trafficking Charges

[george]

British ex-cop arrested in Bangkok on sex trafficking charges

BANGKOK: -- A former British constabulary was arrested Wednesday at an apartment house in the Suan Plu area of Bangkok for alleged involvement in the international sex trade, police said.

The flesh-trading suspect, identified as Ian Suttleworth, 42, was once a British police officer who allegedly lured an unidentified Thai woman into forced prostitution in England and Scotland.

Mr. Suttleworth had allegedly taken his prey on a zigzag trip to England, seizing her passport and forcing her to have sex on hire in many areas including London, Coventry and at least one unidentified location in Scotland.

The woman said she had borrowed Bt530,000 (about 8,500 British pounds) to cover her trip to England and that she had been told by the ex-cop that he would find her a job in a restaurant somewhere in that country.

The woman ended up in forced prostitution after she had been traded for some 28,000 pounds or Bt1.7 million to a woman pimp, only identified as Mam, at a London restaurant.

Scottish police arrested the woman procurer and rescued the Thai woman who was promptly returned to Thailand.

Mr. Suttleworth and the arrested English woman pimp were allegedly connected with nine other human-trafficking suspects arrested earlier in England and Scotland.

--TNA 2008-05-21

[dunrudin]

An entire former British regional police force was detained, the entire constabulary....or one ex-constable?

[Seneque]

The woman said she had borrowed Bt530,000 (about 8,500 British pounds) to cover her trip to England

It costs that much for a plane ticket to England ? ...

[Wolfie]

The woman said she had borrowed Bt530,000 (about 8,500 British pounds) to cover her trip to England

It costs that much for a plane ticket to England ? ...

It does if your a Thai girl and don't know any better...

[lazeeboy]

The woman said she had borrowed Bt530,000 (about 8,500 British pounds) to cover her trip to England

It costs that much for a plane ticket to England ? ...

530,000baht ,how long was she staying ,6 months,could have lived very well on that

[george]

Former British cop arrested for luring Thai woman into forced prostitution

BANGKOK: -- A former British policeman has been arrested in Thailand for his role in a crossnational, humantrafficking and prostitution network.

Ian Shuttleworth, 42, allegedly took Bt530,000 commission fees from a Thai woman under a pretext that he would be able to give her a waitress job at a restaurant in Britain.

However, the woman ended up being forced into flesh trade soon after she arrived at Britain. It was only after the Scotland Yard cracked down on the prostitution ring earlier this year that the victim was rescued and could return home.

Central Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner Maj General Panya Mamen Wednesday announced the arrest of Shuttleworth.

The British man was nabbed Tuesday night at a condominium in the heart of Bangkok.

-- The Nation 2008-05-21

[JimsKnight]

Hope he gets a good seeing to by the BIB!

[jstumbo]

I wonder if they consider it forced prostitution because he had her passport?

If a person brings in Thai girls to work in brothels in the UK, and pays for their way there, how does he know that the girls will work in his brothel long enough to make up the money he paid to bring them to the UK? Seems like holding their passport would really be the only way. I would imagine that if he paid to bring them to the UK, and just put them at the brothel to work, with him getting his money from the work, that they might disappear quite quickly.

I guess you just have to have the girls pay for their own way to the UK, and promise them a job working in the brothel when they get there.

[DP25]

The woman said she had borrowed Bt530,000 (about 8,500 British pounds) to cover her trip to England

It costs that much for a plane ticket to England ? ...

It does when you have to travel on vacation to several other countries first in order to build a false persona as a genuine tourist so that you're British visa will be approved.

But I'm sure this woman was an innocent snowflake who had no clue what was going on. It's not like there are 10,000 prostitutes in Pattaya he could have chosen from.

[PrBkkPr]

Interesting to see that Thailand is attarcting a lot of the cheap trash from the UK. Only a few days ago there was an article in the Nation about two Brits being caught for paedophilia in Pattaya. Just take a lot at Nana, Sukhumvit, etc.....there are lots of cheap Brits hanging around and mind you most are not tourists...rather so called expats who are based here. I know of some who are operating Football betting rackets, some who are loan sharks, etc. Its about time that the visa regulations are tightened to weed out all these trash!

[TAWP]

Its about time that the visa regulations are tightened to weed out all these trash!

Yeah, that seem to have worked so great so far...

[johnb]

Wonder how she got a visa?

Johnb

[thaigene2]

I wonder if they consider it forced prostitution because he had her passport?

If a person brings in Thai girls to work in brothels in the UK, and pays for their way there, how does he know that the girls will work in his brothel long enough to make up the money he paid to bring them to the UK? Seems like holding their passport would really be the only way. I would imagine that if he paid to bring them to the UK, and just put them at the brothel to work, with him getting his money from the work, that they might disappear quite quickly.

I guess you just have to have the girls pay for their own way to the UK, and promise them a job working in the brothel when they get there.

You're making too many assumptions, aren't you?

As long as she was an adult, and he cheated her regarding the costs of going to the UK to work as a prostitute (assuming she agreed to do that), restricted her ability to leave, then he's a trafficker - which part of that don't you get? If she was a kid (at least below 18) - then - sorry you have not one leg to stand on..

If he pretended to ber her boyfriend (wasn't that the case?), and he didn't talk about costs til they got there, then forced her into sex work to pay off bills, then he's a trafficker - get that too? And he's soon to be someone else's 'bitch'

Edited May 21, 2008 by thaigene2

[Canada]

If there is any truth to this story, I find it pretty disgusting, along with humorous remarks about the story....pretty sad

[Scott]

One of things they never talk about is how much money the girl(s) have when they are caught or freed or whatever you call it.

I have a little trouble believing that so many adult women actually belief that they aren't going to be a prostitute. They do have a home and family and there is usually someone around who might clue them into what they are getting into.

That said, I have no sympathy for the people who take their passports and thereby deprived them of a very basic freedom to leave and move about.

[Q_Q_Dude]

Interesting to see that Thailand is attarcting a lot of the cheap trash from the UK. Only a few days ago there was an article in the Nation about two Brits being caught for paedophilia in Pattaya. Just take a lot at Nana, Sukhumvit, etc.....there are lots of cheap Brits hanging around and mind you most are not tourists...rather so called expats who are based here. I know of some who are operating Football betting rackets, some who are loan sharks, etc. Its about time that the visa regulations are tightened to weed out all these trash!

Agreed 100%

[Serendipitist]

Interesting to see that Thailand is attarcting a lot of the cheap trash from the UK. Only a few days ago there was an article in the Nation about two Brits being caught for paedophilia in Pattaya. Just take a lot at Nana, Sukhumvit, etc.....there are lots of cheap Brits hanging around and mind you most are not tourists...rather so called expats who are based here. I know of some who are operating Football betting rackets, some who are loan sharks, etc. Its about time that the visa regulations are tightened to weed out all these trash!

Agreed 100%

LOL at the nonsense re: Visa laws should be tightened to weed out 'cheap trash'!?

And, prey... if he secretly acted as charged, how exactly would your whimsically proposed 'tightened visa laws' prevent an ex-member of the constabulary from getting a visa to here?

What's more, & without excusing what he was allegedly involved in by any means, let's not forget that it is also precisely because of visa laws which are ridiculously tight, if not despicably prejudicial, to female thai nationals under 35 that such a racket as above ever came into being. The racket exploits (read profits from) the fact that it is next to impossible for the vast majority of such female Thai citizens to visit the UK - even if a caring someone throws sufficient money into their bank account before visiting; while citizens of Singapore, Japan etc. may enter and leave as they please to the UK - almost regardless of their status.

Is it not owing to ridiculously punitive western visa laws that many here marry well before their time - just to acquire a lousy visa to the west for their girl friend? While at the same time, certain religious fanatics who abuse the teachings of their faith are given free reign (& visas coming out their ears) to come and preach the impressionable to revolt, by whatever means, against the very state that treated them so leniently.

Edited May 22, 2008 by Serendipitist

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The woman said she had borrowed Bt530,000 (about 8,500 British pounds) to cover her trip to England

It costs that much for a plane ticket to England ? ...

It does when you have to travel on vacation to several other countries first in order to build a false persona as a genuine tourist so that you're British visa will be approved.

But I'm sure this woman was an innocent snowflake who had no clue what was going on. It's not like there are 10,000 prostitutes in Pattaya he could have chosen from.

it must be close to that.

[johnh101]

Wonder how she got a visa?

Johnb

Somebody paid off Mr Blobby at the British Embassy. When My wife was first rejected for a visa, I was told that it would be 100% definately approved if I greased the right palms.

[bombdefuzer]

Isn't he that guy from Thailand Friends website? hehe

[Kan Win]

Mr Shuttleworth arranged her French visa application. She was taken into England by crossing from France.

Bangkokpost

Kan Win

[johnwills]

Interesting to see that Thailand is attarcting a lot of the cheap trash from the UK. Only a few days ago there was an article in the Nation about two Brits being caught for paedophilia in Pattaya. Just take a lot at Nana, Sukhumvit, etc.....there are lots of cheap Brits hanging around and mind you most are not tourists...rather so called expats who are based here. I know of some who are operating Football betting rackets, some who are loan sharks, etc. Its about time that the visa regulations are tightened to weed out all these trash!

Agreed 100%

This is why a lot of my English friends and I avoid going to the tourist resorts, we left England to be away from these type of people. I agree there should be better controls, but have no idea how you achieve this without affecting genuine tourists and Expats who are just here to live a quiet lifeor run a legit business. I suppose you could start by closing down all the bars in the tourist resorts and Bangkok, but we all know this will never happen. So answers on a post card.

[Jacqqq]

A UK newspaper reported that Shuttleworth "was running a private detective agency checking out whether Thai girlfriends of British holidaymakers were faithful".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/...-slaves-UK.html

Sounds like the "cheap thrash" denizens of Thailand are moving away from long-favoured careers like that of an English teacher or a bar / restaurant operator.

[jeztennis]

as usual they get it all wrong

there is another thread on a similar subject, the girls are 'sold' with their full knowledge for about 8500 pounds, it doesnt cost that to get there, shuttleworth is a 'pony' he helps arrange the dodgy visa and takes the girl to uk via france for which he gets paid about 500 pounds plus his flights, the girl in england is then sold for about 8000 pounds and has to 'work' back about 28000 pounds. if he was holding her passport then that is terrible but these girls when they are caught by the police or dont like the job servicing 5 to 10 clients a day they shout blue murder exaggerate and the money involved so they can get a free flight home.

have the police got a loan agreement from the parents, i would be surprised, they dont pay a penny! its all mafia led!

[Heng]

A UK newspaper reported that Shuttleworth "was running a private detective agency checking out whether Thai girlfriends of British holidaymakers were faithful".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/...-slaves-UK.html

Sounds like the "cheap thrash" denizens of Thailand are moving away from long-favoured careers like that of an English teacher or a bar / restaurant operator.

Nah, there have long been dozens of "private investigators" taking advantage of the endless supply of guys who fall in love with working girls (and boys), go home, regularly wire these gals small to large amounts of money, and then inevitably start to wonder... hmm, I wonder if she's still a prostitute or not?

[Guest Bellini]

A UK newspaper reported that Shuttleworth "was running a private detective agency checking out whether Thai girlfriends of British holidaymakers were faithful"...

He’s got an advertisement running on ThaiVisa:

http://classifieds.thaivisa.com/miscellane...ators-2847.html

Edited May 22, 2008 by Bellini

[Guest Bellini]

The sun has his picture:

Source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1194465.ece

[jts-khorat]

If there is any truth to this story, I find it pretty disgusting, along with humorous remarks about the story....pretty sad

Maybe then you should read the facts carefully, as they do (as always) do not even remotely match up...

Ian Shuttleworth, 42, allegedly took Bt530,000 commission fees from a Thai woman under a pretext that he would be able to give her a waitress job at a restaurant in Britain.

I knew wages were high in the UK, but the must have been one money-making waitress.

And all in all, 500,000 Baht in travel costs does not sound like a 'cheap Brit' to me... but maybe some here are flying in much higher circles?

[Canadianvisitor]

The sun has his picture:

Source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1194465.ece

Looks like a real nice guy. I think they ought to post his picture in the British tabloids and throw him into general population. Low life like this disgust me. He is probably too lazy to get a job. I hate everythingabout this story.

[bonobo]

True trafficking is deplorable, and yes, it does happen. Women living in locked rooms around the world, kept as slaves, forced to have sex--this is not a figment of the imagination. And this is a valid evil to combat.

But I also think that trafficking has been a flavor of the month for some time now. ANything that hints at foreign women having sex for money is labeled as trafficking and the women must be sex slaves, totally innocent of any nefarious thoughts.

In Norway, there is a politician who is now pushing to criminalize any act which results in payment for sexual services, either in Norway or by Norwegians abroad. His reasoning is that only this can combat human trafficking.

With my deepest sympathies for true victims of human trafficking aside, I firmly believe that the vast majority of Thai, Korean, Chinese, Latin American, etc women who are in the sex industries in Europe, Australia, Japan, or the US are in it voluntarily and were well-aware of the situation before they signed on. In casual conversations with middle or lower-income Thais, for example, I have found that there is a prevailing belief that all Thai girls who go abroad to work will be dragged into the sex trade. True or not, this is a widespread belief. So it is hard for me to fathom that a woman who ends up in the sex industry had no idea that this is what she was doing.

On the other hand, when you get arrested, it sure makes a nice excuse.

I do not know the facts on this specific case, and so I will state no opinions on it. And I certainly do get angry over the mistreatment of sexual slaves in some parts of Africa, and I do belieive that many Filipinas hired as domestics in the Middle East are forced into sexual situations with their employers. But I don't believe that every foreign woman working in the sex industry is their against her will.