NPR: Canadian Pedophile Suspect Arrested in Thailand

Canadian Pedophile Suspect Arrested in Thailand

Thai police arrested an alleged Canadian pedophile Friday who had been the target of a worldwide Interpol search. Teacher Christopher Paul Neil was found in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima, 150 miles northeast of Bangkok.

"Bingo! We've got him," police Maj. Gen. Wimol Powintara told The Associated Press. Police tracked down Neil after they put a trace on his Thai boyfriend's cellphone.

Neil is allegedly the suspect who had been sought by Interpol for three years after about 200 pictures of a man sexually abusing young boys in Cambodia and Vietnam appeared on the Internet. But the man's face had been digitally obscured. Then earlier this month German police were able to unscramble the pictures. That's when Interpol made its worldwide appeal for help to find Neil.

Neil has been teaching in Thailand, South Korea and Vietnam since 2000. Before teaching abroad, Neil worked as a chaplain in Canada, counseling teens.

If convicted he could face up to 20 years in prison. Law enforcement officials in Cambodia, Vietnam and Canada have also indicated they want to question Neil about his activities.

6:09 AM ET | 10-19-2007 | permalink

Comments

Great job for interpol. Keep out children safe. These freaks are everywhere even amng the ranks of preachers, professors and scientists.
Catch them and lock them up for the rest of their life.

Sent by Kapetan MItsaras | 9:11 AM ET | 10-19-2007

Always good news when these creeps are restrained. Somebody call John Burdett, sounds like a great premise for his next novel!

Sent by Olivia Powers | 9:53 AM ET | 10-19-2007

I think it's funny how on television dramas it only takes one click to unscramble a photo, whereas in reality it took 200 photos and 3 years before the police could figure out who they were really after.

Sent by Chris McIlroy | 2:46 PM ET | 10-19-2007

I hope they keep him locked up in Thailand. Canadas Justice System is too lax on this type of crime. He will be on the streets within 3-5 if he is sent back here. And maybe the world will get lucky and some Thai prisoner will put the shank to em.

Sent by Justin from Ontario | 4:05 PM ET | 10-20-2007

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