Graham Cleghorn….victim
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The alleged victims of an
Australian convicted in 2003 of raping his young maids dropped their
complaints during an appeals hearing today, saying they were coerced into
testifying. Nine girls told the court that a
non-governmental organisation urged them to testify against Bart Lauwaert at
his trial three years ago, claiming he would be forced to pay them money if
he was found guilty. Lauwaert, 39, was convicted of
raping and sexually harassing six Cambodian girls aged between 12 and 14, but
his trial had been called into question over allegations that the victims had
been coached. He received 20 years in jail and
was ordered to pay $US20,000 ($A26,600) in compensation to the victims and
their families. "He did not rape me at all.
What I said earlier was because of the organisation," said 18-year-old
Koeun Savy after the hearing ended. She was working in Lauwaert's
house at the time he was arrested in 2002. "I have not received any
money yet," she told reporters, describing Lauwaert as a "Buddhist
monk" who helped the poor. Lauwaert, a former English
teacher, was arrested in the northern city of Following today's hearing Lauwaert
said: "I believe I'll find justice." "I absolutely deny all the
charges. I never abused, raped or did anything wrong in Lauwaert repeated his allegations
that the NGO Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC) had "kidnapped"
the young girls and told them they could get money for testifying against
foreigners. Ung Chanthol, executive director
of the CWCC, which has been involved in several high-profile cases of foreign
sex offenders, could not be immediately reached by telephone. When asked if he would sue the
CWCC, Lauwaert said he did not know. He also said he was unsure if he would
remain in "I'm very tired. I have been
in prison for a very long time. I'll think about that later," he said. The court is expected to announce
its verdict on June 9. Betteridge, 39, fled He received 10 years in jail and
an $US8,000 ($A10,650) fine in absentia, but remains in Around two dozen foreigners have
been jailed or deported to face trial in their home countries for child sex
crimes since 2003 as
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