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Ex-senator jailed 36 years for child sex abuse


Ex-senator jailed 36 years for child sex abuse

(BangkokPost.com)
Vancouver - A Canadian judge has granted bail to a convicted pervert wanted in Thailand for forcing an 8-year-old Thai boy into sex acts, for 33,000 baht (C$1,000) cash and a solemn promise not to hurt any more children.

Mr Chalerm was arrested in January 2001 after being accused of paying procurers to find him teenage girls for sex. He was the deputy speaker of the Senate at the time.


The four girls, who were under 15, were reportedly paid 4,000 baht each.


A lower court handed him 20-year imprisonment for the crimes.


The Supreme Court presiding judge felt Mr Chalerm should be punished more severely because he broke the law while he was a senator.


"The defendant was well aware that what he did was a serious crime," the court said in a statement.