Three Australians Arrested In Child Sex Tourism Ring

[sriracha john]

Child sex tourism ring: Three Australians arrested

The men faces charges of child abuse, child sex tourism and possessing child pornography

Three Australian men have been arrested in Sydney and Thailand over a child sex tourism ring.

The three were arrested in raids on their homes as part of a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Thai Police and British authorities into child sex offences committed by Australian tourists in Thailand.

In Sydney, a 40-year-old man was arrested at his Russell Lea home and a 23-year-old man was arrested in Eastwood yesterday.

A 68-year-old Australian man living in Thailand was arrested at the same time.

The Sydney pair faces charges of child abuse, child sex tourism, and possessing child pornography.

They have been remanded in custody to face Sydney's Central Local Court today.

The AFP say the third man will face the Thai legal system.

- ABC News (Australia) / 2009-03-20

====================================================================

Australians arrested for sex tourism in joint operation

Three Australian men have been charged with child sex tourism offences in Thailand.

In a joint operation involving police in both countries and authorities in Britain, two Sydney men, a 40-year-old from Russell Lea and a 23-year-old from Eastwood, were arrested by Australian Federal Police after raids on their homes on Thursday.

The third man, a 68-year-old Australian residing in Thailand, was arrested by Royal Thai Police the same day.

They all face charges of child sex, child sex tourism, and child pornography.

Thai authorities have also laid some charges, the AFP said.

Britain's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre assisted in the operation.

The two Sydney men are due to appear in Sydney's Central Local Court on Friday.

The arrests highlighted the global response required to stamp out child abuse and child sex tourism, AFP Sydney Office Commander David Stewart said.

"We will continue to relentlessly pursue those individuals who choose to abuse children, who are the most vulnerable in our communities," Mr Stewart said in a statement.

"The AFP will not tolerate any form of child abuse in Australia or anywhere in the world and will continue to work with local and overseas counterparts to arrest those behind child exploitation."

- The Australian / 2009-03-20

==========================================================================

Australians charged over child sex tourism in Thailand

Federal police believe they've smashed a child sex offender network operating between Australia and Thailand with the arrest of three men.

Federal police have worked in conjunction with Thai authorities on this case, investigating Australians travelling to Thailand and molesting young boys.

Two men have been arrested in Sydney - a 40-year-old from Russell Lea and a 23-year-old from Eastwood, while a 68-year-old Australian man was taken into custody in Thailand.

All have been charged with sex offences with children under 16 and possessing child pornography.

Police say they're determined to crack down on the abuse of children even if it means crossing international borders.

- Live News (Australia) / 2009-03-20

[Tywais]

Closed per Thaivisa policy. Updates can be reported via the Report function and a mod will add them here.

[sbk]

Child sex tourism accused 'abused family member'

Australian Federal Police officers on the job

The men were arrested as part of an international investigation involving the AFP. (Australian Federal Police)

A 23-year-old Sydney man charged yesterday with being a member of a child sex tourism ring was already on bail accused of a sex attack on a family member.

The 23-year-old, a 40-year-old from Sydney and a 68-year-old Australian living in the Thai resort town of Pattaya were arrested in simultaneous raids on their homes yesterday.

The 68-year-old has been charged with molesting a child under the age of 15, while the Sydney men are accused of a range of offences relating to child sex tourism and the possession of child pornography.

Their arrests were part of a joint investigation by Australian Federal Police, Thai police and UK authorities.

Thai police say the 68-year-old, Richard Jeremy Morrush, collapsed in shock when he was arrested yesterday and is being treated in hospital for "mental sickness".

They say he has refused to talk to them.

A Sydney court heard today that the 23-year-old was already on bail on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a family member.

It is alleged some of the new charges relate to the same family member.

His bail was revoked and he will reappear in court on Tuesday.

The identities of the 23-year-old and the 40-year-old have been suppressed.

The 40-year-old also faced court today but did not apply for bail. He will face court again in June.

Source: ABC.net news

[Jai Dee]

Sydney men face Thai sex tourism charges

A Sydney man accused of being part of an international child sex tourism ring has faced court charged with sex offences against a Thai teenager.

David Anthony Hudson, 40, from Russell Lea, is one of three men charged with alleged child sex offences uncovered during a joint operation involving Thai, Australian and British authorities.

Hudson and a 23-year-old Eastwood man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) after raids on their Sydney homes on Thursday.

The third man, a 68-year-old Australian living in Thailand, was arrested by Royal Thai Police the same day.

All three face charges of child sex, child sex tourism and child pornography.

The Eastwood man was already on bail for similar charges involving a family member when he was arrested on Thursday.

As a result, he faces an additional charge of breaching his bail by allegedly communicating with a person under the age of 16.

Thai authorities have also laid charges, while Britain's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre assisted in the operation, the AFP said.

Hudson appeared in Sydney's Central Local Court on two counts of committing an act of indecency last year on a 14-year-old in Pattaya, Thailand, and one count of possessing child pornography.

Dressed in a yellow T-shirt and wearing a cast on his wrist, Hudson waited hours for his lawyer to arrive before applying for the matter to put over until June 3.

The Eastwood man faced the same court charged with three counts of disseminating/producing child pornography, using a carriage service to transmit child porn and possessing child porn.

He is due to reappear in the same court on Tuesday.

The arrests highlighted the global response required to stamp out child abuse and child sex tourism, AFP Sydney office Commander David Stewart said.

"We will continue to relentlessly pursue those individuals who choose to abuse children, who are the most vulnerable in our communities," Mr Stewart said in a statement.

"The AFP will not tolerate any form of child abuse in Australia or anywhere in the world and will continue to work with local and overseas counterparts to arrest those behind child exploitation."

Source: AAP - 20 March 2009

[Mario2008]

In addition to the arrest of the Australians, identified as Richard Jeremy Morrush in Pattaya, and David Anthony Hudson in Sydney, there was also an arrest of an Italian, David Costa Ruggero, also in Pattaya, on a different child sex case.

Additional details in article (in Thai) from Matichon newspaper:

http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.php?...03&catid=17

[soundman]

Thai police say the 68-year-old, Richard Jeremy Morrush, collapsed in shock when he was arrested yesterday and is being treated in hospital for "mental sickness".

They say he has refused to talk to them.

Article (in Thai) and photos from Naewna newspaper:

http://www.naewna.com/news.asp?ID=153630

[soundman]

Police escort Italian, David Costa Ruggero, after interrogating him about alleged sex offences against minors.

Bangkok Post

Tourists suspected of underage sex crimes

Thai, Australian police work to make arrests

Thai and Australian police have arrested three men accused of sexual offences against Thai minors while on holiday here in a joint operation.

Under the joint operation code-named "Hercules", Australian Richard Jeremy Morrush and Italian David Costa Ruggero, both 60, were arrested yesterday in Pattaya, Chonburi province.

The third suspect, another Australian identified as David Anthony Hadson, 41, was arrested in Australia.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1372...rage-sex-crimes

[sbk]

INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION LEADS TO PAEDOPHILE ARRESTS IN PATTAYA AND AUSTRALIA

At 11:00am, on 20th March 2009 Thai authorities announced the arrest of Australian national, Richard Jeremy Morrush (68), and two other men, charged with child sex offences, following an international investigation involving law enforcement agencies from three countries.

The announcement was made during a press conference at the Children, Juvenile and Women Division of the Crime Suppression Division of the Central Investigation Bureau [CWD]. In attendance were Pol.Col. Suwiichpol Aunjairach, Pol.Col.Nopawat Arayangkul, Pol. Lt. Col. Kanatatch Musikanon, Pol Lt.Col. Punya Cha-Em Tech and Pol.Lt.Col. Santi Panawong.

Armed with an arrest warrant, no. J.236/2552 from the Pattaya District Court, police arrested Morrush yesterday (19th March) on Jomtien Beach, charged with molesting a child under the age of 15.

On his arrest he collapsed in shock, and was taken to hospital where he was treated for �mental sickness�.

A second man, an Italian national, David Costa Ruggero (60), was arrested based on warrant no. 3357/2551, issued on 10th December 2008.

He was arrested in front of Pattaya District Court, where he was currently on trial following an arrest on similar charges in 2007. He committed his latest offence whilst on bail.

The third suspect, Australian national David Anthony Hudson (40), was arrested at his home in Sydney, Australia.

According to the AFP, as part of the same investigation, another 23-year-old Australian man had been arrested in Sydney.

He was already on bail charged with the aggravated sexual assault of a family member. His bail has now been revoked.

The first two suspects have refused to give any information or answer questions. It is understood that all the arrests occurred simultaneously and were part of a joint investigation, codenamed �Action Hercules�, carried out by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Royal Thai police and the UK authorities.�

- Pattaya Daily News / 2009-03-21

Article and a Video News Clip of David Ruggero's arrest is available here:

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000008693

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The previous arrest of David Ruggero in Pattaya is covered in the thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Italian-Resi...78.html&hl=

Italian Resident Of Pattaya Arrested And Charged With Sexual Assault Of A 12 Year Old Boy