British deputy headteacher, 39, is arrested in Cambodia after 'molesting a girl pupil, five, at his home'

[geovalin]

• Mark Smith, a 39-year-old British national was arrested in Cambodia on Sunday
• He is the Vice Principal of Golden Bridge International School in Phnom Penh 
• Police say Smith was arrested after five-year-old girl's parents made a complaint
• The parents claimed Smith took their daughter to his home and molested her
• Investigations by police are understood to be looking into more incidents

By Richard Shears for MailOnline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A British schoolteacher working in Cambodia was behind bars last on Sunday night after being arrested for alleged sex offences against a young female student.

Mark Andrew Smith, named by police as a 39-year-old British national and Vice Principal of the Golden Bridge International School in Phnom Penh, joins a long list of alleged child abusers in the South East Asian country.

Police said that Smith was arrested while leaving the school after the five-year-old girl's parents made a complaint.

The parents allegedly complained that Smith had taken their daughter to his home and molested her.

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Andrew Smith, named by police as a 39-year-old British national and Vice Principal of the Golden Bridge International School in Phnom Penh, joins a long list of alleged child abusers in the South East Asian country. Police said that Smith was arrested while leaving the school after the five-year-old girl's parents made a complaint

Expatriate websites reported that while the parents had not gone to the police themselves, they had made the complaint to the school principal. 

Investigations by police are understood to be looking into more than one incident.

Smith has been identified in his own social media profiles as coming from Gorleston in Norfolk and moved to Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2007, where he started working at Smart Kids International School.

 

In August 2014 he moved to Phnom Penh to work at the Golden Bridge School as its Vice Principal, a title he was still holding at the time of his arrest late last week.

A video posted on the internet by a local woman understood to be familiar with the alleged case said the parents, suspicious that something had happened to their daughter, had been told following a medical check that there was evidence of sexual activity.

The Cambodian woman who posted the complaint alleged: 'This is rape, sexual infringement with intention by a foreigner.

 

 

 

Investigations by police are understood to be looking into more than one incident. Smith has been identified in his own social media profiles as coming from Gorleston in Norfolk and moved to Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2007, where he started working at Smart Kids International School

'The mother and father are not bold/brave enough to press charges because of the possible implications on the child, so they go and meet the Khmer director of the school…a modern, international, expensive school. 

'One year, $1800 for kindergarten. Most people can't afford this. People who do, they presume schools are safe.

'Less than a year ago they arrested another foreigner. When they went to his residence it was full of children's shoes. It's not just little girls they rape. Little boys, too.'

The reference to another foreigner having children's shoes at his house is understood to be related to the arrest of British doctor Clive Cressy 69, from Hove East Sussex, who was actually arrested in May this year on child sex abuse charges.

Smith, who is seen in photos with a number of young children believed to be from his school, has not made any public comment since his arrest.

But if the charges proceed, he is expected to appear in court in Phnom Penh soon.

Another Briton, former hairdresser David Fletcher, 71, is serving a long jail sentence in Cambodia after being convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl in 2008.

source Dailymail
 

[little mary sunshine]

Disguesting

[OmarZaid]

These men need to be hunted like the animals they are and neutralized

[Thingamabob]

Another quality Brit.

[just.a.thought]

Isn't it time for mandatory background checks and proper teaching credentials. What possible reason could there be to have a male foreign teacher with access to kindergarten kids?

[roo860]

Another quality Brit.

Another quality comment.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[smotherb]

38 minutes ago, just.a.thought said:

Isn't it time for mandatory background checks and proper teaching credentials. What possible reason could there be to have a male foreign teacher with access to kindergarten kids?

Exactly, there needs to be ardent background checks on any adult who works with or around children.