Australian, 93, Faces Sexual Assault Charges In Thailand

[webfact]

Australian, 93, faces sexual assault charges

BANGKOK: -- A verdict in the case of a 93-year-old Australian man facing pedophile charges in northern Thailand is expected by December after prosecutors this week concluded their case against him.

Karl Joseph Kraus remains in custody after being rearrested on July 24 in the Burmese city of Pa-an, the capital of Karen state, after fleeing Thailand where he had been free on bail of 400,000 baht ($A12,900).

Kraus was returned to Thai authorities in early August. He had been living in a rented house in Pa-an when he was detained during a routine check of immigration and passport documents.

Legal sources said that during a hearing on Wednesday the court did not raise any fresh charges regarding Kraus's getaway to Burma.

"The court is pretty reluctant to (add fresh charges). They want to finish the case as quickly as possible. I doubt very much they will charge him with jumping bail," they said.

Full story: http://www.smh.com.a...1004-27273.html

-- The Sydney Morning Herald 2012-10-04

[Skywalker69]

93 years he would be a pedofile even with a woman of 35-40 years.

[Sayonarax]

Deport him.

[theblether]

It doesn't matter to the child if the paedophile assailant is 33, 63, or 93.......the child is just as damaged and traumatised.

This guy knew what he was doing, age is no barrier to justice. Also well done to the Thai and Mynamar authorities for pursuing him and bringing him to justice, they need to send out a message loud and clear........the time of predatory paedophiles flying into South East Asia unencumbered is over. The law is waiting for you.

Age is no barrier to being a scumbag, this guy is a 93 year old paedophile scumbag, jail him for the rest of his days. End of.

[coma]

The authorities are sure making this old guys last years on earth unpleasant.

[Beetlejuice]

Don`t believe it.

I guess that this poor old man was set up.

An elderly man, probably has life savings and assets, ripe for exploitation.

[jerrysteve]

93 years of Age! Jeepers creepers, its a wonder he can even get it up at that age!! Edited October 4, 2012 by jerrysteve

[yoslim]

Don`t believe it.

I guess that this poor old man was set up.

An elderly man, probably has life savings and assets, ripe for exploitation.

Exactly what I'm thinking, respect for the olders has been completly lost

[Skywalker69]

It doesn't matter to the child if the paedophile assailant is 33, 63, or 93.......the child is just as damaged and traumatised.

This guy knew what he was doing, age is no barrier to justice. Also well done to the Thai and Mynamar authorities for pursuing him and bringing him to justice, they need to send out a message loud and clear........the time of predatory paedophiles flying into South East Asia unencumbered is over. The law is waiting for you.

Age is no barrier to being a scumbag, this guy is a 93 year old paedophile scumbag, jail him for the rest of his days. End of.

Good post, thanks.

[BusyBee123]

Don`t believe it.

I guess that this poor old man was set up.

An elderly man, probably has life savings and assets, ripe for exploitation.

poor old man? if the charges are true he will have ruined the lifes of those just about to start on what should be a wonderful life. If guilty I'd stick him in stocks in the centre of pattaya until he dies to set an example of what will happen to any other sick vile human being preying on kids.

[dunrudin]

It doesn't matter to the child if the paedophile assailant is 33, 63, or 93.......the child is just as damaged and traumatised.

This guy knew what he was doing, age is no barrier to justice. Also well done to the Thai and Mynamar authorities for pursuing him and bringing him to justice, they need to send out a message loud and clear........the time of predatory paedophiles flying into South East Asia unencumbered is over. The law is waiting for you.

Age is no barrier to being a scumbag, this guy is a 93 year old paedophile scumbag, jail him for the rest of his days. End of.

Good post, thanks.

Would it not be a good idea to see if he's found guilty first? As another post suggests, setups are not unknown. If proved, let him rot, but until then please let us at least respect the presumption of innocence until guilt is proved.

[kutjebu]

It doesn't matter to the child if the paedophile assailant is 33, 63, or 93.......the child is just as damaged and traumatised.

This guy knew what he was doing, age is no barrier to justice. Also well done to the Thai and Mynamar authorities for pursuing him and bringing him to justice, they need to send out a message loud and clear........the time of predatory paedophiles flying into South East Asia unencumbered is over. The law is waiting for you.

Age is no barrier to being a scumbag, this guy is a 93 year old paedophile scumbag, jail him for the rest of his days. End of.

Good post, thanks.

Good for a laugh.

[cbrer]

I suggest people read up on this case.

It is extremely questionable...

Edited October 4, 2012 by cbrer

[cbrer]

It doesn't matter to the child if the paedophile assailant is 33, 63, or 93.......the child is just as damaged and traumatised.

This guy knew what he was doing, age is no barrier to justice. Also well done to the Thai and Mynamar authorities for pursuing him and bringing him to justice, they need to send out a message loud and clear........the time of predatory paedophiles flying into South East Asia unencumbered is over. The law is waiting for you.

Age is no barrier to being a scumbag, this guy is a 93 year old paedophile scumbag, jail him for the rest of his days. End of.

When was he convicted of that?

I also highly suggest people read up on the case of supposed paedo Peter Clements in Phuket a few years ago, and just imagine how his professional life has been utterly destroyed by the Thai police's manner of dealing with such accusations.

Edited October 4, 2012 by cbrer

[EarthAlien]

Its a sad story when a guy afflicted with such a disease can't even obtain self control by the age of 93 years!

[how241]

It doesn't matter to the child if the paedophile assailant is 33, 63, or 93.......the child is just as damaged and traumatised.

This guy knew what he was doing, age is no barrier to justice. Also well done to the Thai and Mynamar authorities for pursuing him and bringing him to justice, they need to send out a message loud and clear........the time of predatory paedophiles flying into South East Asia unencumbered is over. The law is waiting for you.

Age is no barrier to being a scumbag, this guy is a 93 year old paedophile scumbag, jail him for the rest of his days. End of.

+1...Good post...You can be sure this is Not the first time he has done this. Let's hope it's the last time.

[cbrer]

^^ We can only presume that you don't know anything about the case.

Edited October 4, 2012 by cbrer

[cbrer]

The Sydney Morning Herald had a piece on the case in April 2011.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/fears-for-man-91-in-thai-child-sex-case-20110423-1ds44.html

THE family of a 91-year-old Australian arrested in Thailand on underage sex charges are concerned for his well-being. They say he has been denied access to medicine and proper care while in custody.

Karl Kraus, a former South Australian railway worker, says he was the victim of an extortion attempt by Thai authorities, who levelled bogus charges last June when he was arrested for the alleged rape of four young sisters, the youngest of whom was five.

At the time of the arrest, Thai police said they seized pornographic print and electronic images from Mr Kraus's house in Thailand. They said the arrest was part of a wider inquiry into paedophiles in the area.

In a letter to The Sun-Herald, Mr Kraus, who has lived in the northern city of Chiang Mai for more than a decade, said he was pressured for 200,000 baht ($6200) by a Thai businessman in the weeks before the raid and claims he was extorted during his time in custody when it was made clear the charges would be dropped if he paid 450,000 baht ($14,175) to several parties including Thai officials.

He says he was kept in custody in a medical jail facility for five days but denied access to his medication, which caused him health complications.

Mr Kraus also says that when police searched his home, bed linen, computers and photographs were confiscated, along with his bank passbooks, which were used to drain his accounts.

Central to Mr Kraus's claims of innocence is that he is accused of sexualoffences on December 22, 2009, when he says he was in Australia receiving medical treatment for prostate and bladder cancer.

[DocN]

Given he has done it, he should suffer the consequences.

...having said that: raid all the brothels around the country, where men can have sex with children.

ALL men, of ALL nationalities!

[Basil B]

"The court is pretty reluctant to (add fresh charges). They want to finish the case as quickly as possible.

so less chance of him dropping off his perch.

[tropo]

This guy knew what he was doing, age is no barrier to justice.

I don't suppose you've ever heard of senility then?

Most of us won't be here till we're 93, never mind having all our marbles if we made it.

[Semper]

Don`t believe it.

I guess that this poor old man was set up.

An elderly man, probably has life savings and assets, ripe for exploitation.

poor old man? if the charges are true he will have ruined the lifes of those just about to start on what should be a wonderful life. If guilty I'd stick him in stocks in the centre of pattaya until he dies to set an example of what will happen to any other sick vile human being preying on kids.

Yes, If.

Edited October 4, 2012 by Semper

[asdecas]

People who complain of corruption in Thailand, on this website and others, while enjoying their leisurely lifestyle in the country, and yet are ready to condemn an accused man, often without any knowledge whatever of the case, should be ashamed. This man may or may not be guilty. He may or may not have been set up. He is ninety-three. Thank God you cannot be judges in this country.

[Dr Robert]

It is dangerous waspish gossip to make such statements as I read from some of the opinionated experts in here. How many of you are legally trained and competent intellectually enough, as well as complete with the facts of the case to jump to such conclusions, let alone mete rough justice?

Let the judicial system take its course before you make fools of yourselves by vomiting such outrageous, unsustainable prejudicial and surprisingly idiotic comments. For example, did it occur to you that the man at the centre of this, in his advanced age may have some mental illness/dementia? Could there be that there is some other possibility that passed you by in your blood-rush rant?

I am no apologist for paedophilia-far from it-but I am an advocate of fairness and innocent until proven otherwise.

Get a grip on your hysterical overreactions please-at least think before you open your mouth!

You embarrass us all with your ignorance.

Sheeeeesh!

[xenophon]

Karl Kraus ... 93, deviant, now an Australian resident .. vonder vot he did from 1939-45

[khunken]

It appears that the word pedophile only has to be mentioned when the TV judges, juries & executioners have the accused found guilty.

If he is found guilty in a proper court of law, jail him. But the question of extortion does tend to raise its ugly head here & we do know how good the BIB - sometimes in league with others - are at it.

This doesn't look like a clear-cut case, so would'nt it be better to wait for a verdict?

[Semper]

Its a sad story when a guy afflicted with such a disease can't even obtain self control by the age of 93 years!

Gotta love the pharmaceutical industry.

Edited October 4, 2012 by Semper

[sausageandmash]

The thai authorities don't want to make the same mistake as the British police, who are trying to investigate Jimmy Savile for similar offences a year AFTER he died. "Dear Jim, please can you fix it to come back from the dead to face justice." Now then, now then.

"The court is pretty reluctant to (add fresh charges). They want to finish the case as quickly as possible.

so less chance of him dropping off his perch.

[KuhnPaen]

Don`t believe it.

I guess that this poor old man was set up.

An elderly man, probably has life savings and assets, ripe for exploitation.

Exactly what I'm thinking, respect for the olders has been completly lost

Say what? What does this have to do with "respect for your elders"? Is being 93, 83, 73, a license to be a pedo? Makes me wonder about your logic. I respect my elders, but if I knew one that raped my kid, I would want to club him to death. If he is guilty, I hope he gets what he deserves. You think this guy is afraid of jail at 93? he will probably die soon and this was his last fandango--if he is guilty of course. I read the article about his claims of extortion. I will wait until this is settled before I pass final judgement on him.

Edited October 4, 2012 by KuhnPaen

[joboss]

Deport him.

Not to Australia please.

We don't want him.