A BRITISH MAN has been sentenced to seven years in prison by a Cambodian court for having sex with two underage girls.

Matthew Harland, 38, was arrested last May for paying to have sex with two girls, aged 11 and 12, in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh in 2006.

The Bangkok Post reports that Harland has also been ordered to pay the victims €180 each in compensation.

Harland had travelled to Cambodia in 2005 after fleeing England on charges of possession of child pornography, Sky News reports. The UK’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre was involved in the case and said after his sentencing today that leaving the UK did not mean “flying off our radar”.

The Briton had faced a 15-year sentence for the charges, but his conviction and sentencing are being seen as signs of the Cambodian government’s push to tackle paedophilia and its reputation as a haven for child sex abusers.

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Briton sentenced to seven years for paedophilia in Cambodia

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.