Australian Teacher Held For Sex Abuse In Phuket

[webfact]

Australian teacher held for sex abuse in Phuket

CHALONG, PHUKET: -- An Australian man has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a four-year-old male student at an international school in Phuket.

Andrew Clements, 51, was arrested at his house in Chalong by Thalang Police at 8:15pm on Friday.

The arrest came after a Thai woman told police Mr Clements abused her son in a toilet at Phuket International Academy (PIA) last year.

The boy only told his mother about what took place recently. He was unable to specify the date the incident happened.

Mr Clements denies a charge of sexual abuse.

Len Peters, head of PIA Day School, has made the following statement regarding the case:

“We regret to confirm that a former teacher at the Phuket International Academy Day School, Mr Andrew Clements, was arrested over the weekend by the Royal Thai Police and charged with committing an act of child abuse against a student at the school.

“This is profoundly distressing for everyone connected with the school. As soon as we learned of this allegation, we immediately offered our full and unconditional cooperation to the family involved, and to the Royal Thai Police.

“It should be noted that Mr Clements was dismissed from the school in December 2009. There is absolutely no connection between his dismissal from the school and the criminal charge which he now faces.

“The safety and welfare of the children in our care, and of their families, is our absolute priority.

We have already contacted the parents of all the children who attend the school, and our staff, to notify them of the situation.

We will keep them fully informed as the situation develops, and will provide whatever support is necessary to the wider school community.

“Given the highly sensitive nature of the allegation, and of the need to protect the privacy of the family involved, we are not able to make any further comments.”

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-03-22

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[george]

Please keep this topic civil!

Thanks

/Moderation team

[phuketrichard]

“It should be noted that Mr Clements was dismissed from the school in December 2009. There is absolutely no connection between his dismissal from the school and the criminal charge which he now faces.

They must have had some idea somethig was not right.

[richwantsin]

What kind of screening process do these guys get before landing a teaching job in this country?

[MuayThaiUdonThani]

"It should be noted that Mr Clements was dismissed from the school in December 2009. There is absolutely no connection between his dismissal from the school and the criminal charge which he now faces.

They must have had some idea somethig was not right.

Yes. there must be more to this story,

[cacruden]

What kind of screening process do these guys get before landing a teaching job in this country?

I don't know but the majority of those that would "abuse" are not going to be caught by background checks (sorry to say). I would prefer all those that go after kids (especially teachers, since they are suppose to be held to a higher standard) - be kept in Thai prisons, not transferred back to their home country to serve the sentence.

[Jimmu]

What happened to innocent until proven guilty? If he did it then nothing would be too horrible to do to him but so far we don't know!

[jamiemac]

What kind of screening process do these guys get before landing a teaching job in this country?

The people i know who have gone into this industry tell me they had no screening at all, they were very surprised.

[Maejo Man]

As per usual in these sort of cases, the "hang 'em high" brigade are here in force. Shall we wait till the story of events unfolds perhaps?

[ozymandious]

The Teacher was dismissed for performance issues not related to the allegations brought against him. The allegations have only come forth recently. I have very strong feelings related to child abuse of any sort, but I'm tempering this with the fact that this man has not yet been convicted of the alleged crime. Please don't jump to conclusions.

[webfact]

several "hang 'em high" posts deleted

Please note the Australian is not convicted by a court of law yet!

Thank you

[Stjohnm]

There isn't a punishment strong enough for crimes like this

[Krungbin]

Questions to be asked:

"Why was he dismissed for?"

And than:

"Is that little boy - btw... 4 years old now... - the only one?

And than:

"Is the (smiling) accused the only one involved?"

and than... when the truth will be known, and if he is the culprit... I hope they'll keep him in one of their jails for a long long time...

[perax]

before we hang & quarter the guy, you migth want to consider how children that young might not be very reliable witnesses, particularly in the case of something that might have happened a few months in the past.

[loong]

Much as I detest child molestors, I really hope that there is more evidence than what has been reported here.

It seems strange that the child has waited so long before speaking up.

If he is guilty I will join the "string him up" brigade, but with this report I cannot form an opinion.

[BKKBrit]

He's been arrested. He's denied the charges. He's not been proven guilty.

However, If it's true, absolutely revolting.

What is it about people in positions of trust and kids - clergy, teachers etc.

It's about time that more thorough back-ground checks were made by the appropriate authorities, but especially by these schools that families entrust their children to. And you have to ask yourself - would you entrust your toddlers to a 51 year old man working in a day school - a kindergarden? That would set off an alarm bell immediately in my opinion. This guy is going to teach my toddler nursery rhymes?! I'm sorry, that doesn't compute well.

The school, I hope, is also held responsible if this case is proven in a court of law. It will be a lesson that all schools should be doing more thorough back-ground checks on people they employ to 'teach' children - regardless of their age.

[taurus8]

...Four year od ? abused ? are we sure the parents not stting up the teacher for a pay-out? All done b4.lets follow up and wait what comes next.

[markg]

Much as I detest child molestors, I really hope that there is more evidence than what has been reported here.

It seems strange that the child has waited so long before speaking up.

If he is guilty I will join the "string him up" brigade, but with this report I cannot form an opinion.

Definitely more to this story than is being written about on here.

I heard he was going to sue PIA for unfair dismissal.

I wonder if this is related..............

[zorro1]

I imagine the kid woluld have had at least some long tricky questioning by the authorities and kids dont hold up to well under interogation so their must have been a case that was at least beyond reasonable doubt to arrest the man, at least one would hope so

[Nip]

What happened to innocent until proven guilty? If he did it then nothing would be too horrible to do to him but so far we don't know!

I doubt the boys in brown would have allowed his name and mug be plastered in public if there was any doubt that he was not guilty or at least had a track record. Hard to believe that a man like this gets to either 51 or is it 57 without arousing suspicions. I would think that perhaps the school removed him from his position for a related reason. If the school was negligent which seems likely they are equally guilty in my eyes of betraying the trust of the family and more importantly the child. I have to say that in the past 12 months there seems to be an influx of scum bags in the Chalong, Kata and Karon areas abusing young women. As the girls are working girls they dont report the crimes which allows the bast*rds to move about freely. That all said I have met quite a few teachers who claimed to have secured their qualifications on the internet.

[Murf]

I imagine the kid woluld have had at least some long tricky questioning by the authorities and kids dont hold up to well under interogation so their must have been a case that was at least beyond reasonable doubt to arrest the man, at least one would hope so

You are joking right??

As said above, hang the **** if he did it.

But evidence from a 4 year old? A 4 year old that is recalling facts from last year... I wouldnt hang him out to dry just yet...

[Nip]

The Teacher was dismissed for performance issues not related to the allegations brought against him. The allegations have only come forth recently. I have very strong feelings related to child abuse of any sort, but I'm tempering this with the fact that this man has not yet been convicted of the alleged crime. Please don't jump to conclusions.

"The Teacher was dismissed for performance issues not related to the allegations brought against him." Guess he must have had other things on his mind then?

[perax]

I imagine the kid woluld have had at least some long tricky questioning by the authorities and kids dont hold up to well under interogation so their must have been a case that was at least beyond reasonable doubt to arrest the man, at least one would hope so

the problem with childern of that age is that they can be made to say whatever the questioner want. After a little while they'll start to make up stories, and convince themselves they're right. Takes a lot of care to get something 'true' out of them, and 'careful questioning' is not something that springs to mind talking about police in Phuket.

[rodcourt49]

He's been arrested. He's denied the charges. He's not been proven guilty.

However, If it's true, absolutely revolting.

What is it about people in positions of trust and kids - clergy, teachers etc.

It's about time that more thorough back-ground checks were made by the appropriate authorities, but especially by these schools that families entrust their children to. And you have to ask yourself - would you entrust your toddlers to a 51 year old man working in a day school - a kindergarden? That would set off an alarm bell immediately in my opinion. This guy is going to teach my toddler nursery rhymes?! I'm sorry, that doesn't compute well.

The school, I hope, is also held responsible if this case is proven in a court of law. It will be a lesson that all schools should be doing more thorough back-ground checks on people they employ to 'teach' children - regardless of their age.

Well..Labour Office now check background and credentials must be validated..you must supply a Police Record check from your own country.

Saying all this..the guy is probably a first offender..let's see how it pans out eh!

[MyphuketLife]

wow ohh wow...

If he's guilty I hope they fry him,.... But this seems suspect.

My cynical side finds this whole thing a little odd…

He is let go in DEC, then 2.5 months later accused of this. I really wonder if there is more to this story like a contract fight. I hope that he really is guilty and it’s not him being falsely accused to settle a score or something sinister as such.

The smirk on his face is strange, guilty or falsely accused, you would think he would be in a state of panic not smirking?

[zorro1]

Was thinking along the lines of a an umistakable ID` like a hidden birthmark or tattoo not exposed etc etc. Look ath the boy in the balloon saga the whole world could see he was faking it whilst surrounded by his family he still couldnt lie convicngly.

[chonburi]

I imagine the kid woluld have had at least some long tricky questioning by the authorities and kids dont hold up to well under interogation so their must have been a case that was at least beyond reasonable doubt to arrest the man, at least one would hope so

Kids, especially kids of this age, often agree with whatever a person of authority (parent, teacher or Police) wants them to say.

Guilty at this point who can say? But I wouldn't like some of they guys here to be on the jury as they seem to believe guilty until proven innocent and that's sad.

[kurnell]

Would that guy even fit in a Thai public toliet? According to the pic he is nearly 2 metres tall.

[Garry]

Well, considering I've helped my very young son in the toilet in earlier years (yeah yeah, he's not the father in this case) that I don't get tar & feathered from touching hin on the pecker because he had directional problems and was peeing all over the bathroom and not at the porcelain steering wheel Let justice run its course guys before you hang him to the yard arm. If he's bad than so be it, but give justice a chance, sheesh

Edited March 22, 2010 by Garry

[ExpatJ]

This guy may or may not be guilty- and i hope the evidence is there whatever the outcome.

BUT, but..i have to say, i would never send my 4 year old to a school in thailand that had white male western teachers- sure there are many good ones, but there is also a fair chance that the teacher is here in thailand for the women/men (and possibly kids)and are simply unqualified and /or unmotivated for the job and /or dangerous. Not a gamble i would take with my kid.