Britons jailed in Cambodia on child sex charges

Two British men have been jailed in Cambodia for child sex offences.

The UK Government's Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre said Matthew Harland, 38, will spend seven years in prison, after "buying sex" from two young girls.

And in a separate case, 53-year-old Welsh man Nick Griffin - who ran orphanages in Siem Reap - was jailed for two years for sexually assaulting a number of victims in his care.

CEOP said its officers worked with the Cambodian National Police (CNP) to bring the pair to justice.

Peter Davies, lead police officer in the case, said: "Two convictions in two days shows that like never before, this crime will not be tolerated, no matter where in the world you think you can go to escape capture.

"Any offender who thinks they can visit places such as Cambodia and target young, vulnerable children for sexual gratification should think again. These are major convictions and show the severity in which we all view this crime."

Harland, 38, fled to the Asian country in 2005 after jumping bail in Hampshire on charges of possession of child abuse images.

In May last year, CEOP received intelligence from non-governmental organisation APLE (Action Pour Les Enfants) saying Harland had resurfaced in Cambodia.

He was arrested weeks later - with reports saying he was living in a rented house with two young girls.

CEOP then deployed officers to the country following a request for assistance from the CNP.

Griffin, left Britain in 2006 before founding the Cambodia Orphan Fund, one year later - with CEOP adding he ran "a number of orphanages in a tourist hotspot".