back to article Thai court jails 'swirly-face' paedophile

A Canadian schoolteacher who was arrested after police appealed for the identity of a man depicted abusing boys on images circulating on the net has been jailed for three years and three months in Thailand. Christopher Paul Neil, who taught English in several Asian countries, was arrested last October in Thailand after …

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  1. Tom Austin
    Joke

    "This is the first, baby step for Christopher Neil..."

    ...oh, please tell me that was a typo and not a tastelessly inappropriate pun...

  2. Liam

    wtf???

    3 years for a paedo - yet death penalty for trying to smuggle some drugs in and out... i think they have their sentencing a bit wrong dont they!

  3. James O'Brien
    Alert

    Wanker

    "In court on Friday, Neil admitted through a Thai translator that he made the offending photos but denied distributing them online"

    Then do, pray tell, how the hell they got distributed. Im sure the old "someone hacked/infected/stole/borrowed/fixed my computer and all they took was these pictures and I didnt know they had done this until the cops showed up asking about them" defense will be applied here. I hope he has a nice jailmate named Bubba for the stay.

    /sorry about the title wasnt about to think of something witty as I havent had my coffee yet this morning

  4. andy rock
    Joke

    hmmmm...

    on one hand, great they caught the twat (although for thinking that the 'swirl trick' would protect him he deserves to be caught all the more) on the other, ONLY 3 years.

    joke alert, not because it's funny but because 3 years is a joke.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    tsk tsk...

    Just to be sure:

    <joke>

    Yet again, the paedophiles get all the bad press - nobody ever blames the sexy children !!!

    </joke>

    nb to would-flamers: to make light of a situation does not mean that you take it lightly, so save your breath for the Daily Mail :)

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Comments?

    Why are comments enabled for this story?

    I fail to see what constructive purpose they could serve.

  7. Matt

    I dunno...

    Would you rather see someone sentenced to 30 years in a U.S. prison (and I presume Canada, the U.K., or any Western European prison are similiar)

    Or 3 years in Thailand?

    I'd bet the punishment value of the latter is greater; in the former you get three squares a day, full healthcare, extensive support networks to move you to protective facilities if you're threatened, pyschological counseling, addicition counseling, adult education, work release, etc, etc. While many of those are important services, and others simply go too far, it does mean comparing third world prison time to those in the west is difficult. One case near me has Massachusetts fighting in court whether just hormone therapy is enough, or if they state has to pay for a murder serving a life sentence to get a sex change operation. Do you think authorities in Thailand wouldn't have just laughed at someone's request for the drugs alone?

  8. Tom Turck

    Thank you German police!

    Please focus more German police on catching pedophiles.

  9. David Farrell

    It's ok feel up children as long as you're not carrying any drugs

    It's a serious reflection on Thai and Asian culture when you can be hung for smuggling drugs but only receive 3 years in jail for fiddling little kiddies. Drug smuggling is a victimless "crime", and I use the word crime in inverted commas because I believe in drug legalisation and victimless because we all make our choices in life, and yet paedophilia is the ultimate victim orientated crime.

    What kind of society put people to death for something as mundane as smuggling a chemical substance, and gives out a slap on the wrist for the sexual abuse of children?

  10. Avi

    @ AC

    Constructive comments are hardly the norm, are they?

    Can't see them being destructive to anyone, either, though. So it's all good.

  11. Steve Renouf
    IT Angle

    @ Comments

    "I fail to see what constructive purpose they could serve."

    Well, who knows - if there aren't any comments, there is no way to determine if any of them serve any useful purpose...

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    wtf indeed

    "death penalty for trying to smuggle some drugs in and out" - Only if you're not a local I'm sure. You'll get your head lopped off for smoking a joint but tip the authorities right and you'll been in paedo heaven. Thailand disgusts me, I can't imagine why the hell anyone would want to go there. Apart from paedos and suicidal drug smugglers that is.

    Hah, maybe that's why they banned GTA, cos all the kids would spend too much time playing games rather than being abused for slobbery fat white men.

    Not so much a joke as cynical satire there folks. No apologies for any offense caused.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    <no title>

    Most comments have no constructive purpose anyway, let's have them on all stories.

    Really glad the guy was an utter moron when it came to trying to hide his identity, but, how thick do you have to be to apply an image changing algorithm to a picture, when it should be obvious to all and sundry that to get the picture back all you have to do is reverse the process?

  14. Tawakalna
    Unhappy

    the reason he only gets three years...

    ..whilst drug smugglers get life or execution is that sex-tourists, paedo or not, bring a lot of money into Thailand and significantly contribute to the national economy, whilst the drug money stays in the hands of Burmese-military backed gangs up in the north of the country.

  15. Charles
    Stop

    @andy rock

    The three years was just for the FIRST of the charges he's facing. Like they said, it's only the first step and at least an assurance he won't be going anywhere. In the meantime, they can proceed with the more serious charges.

  16. Peter
    Stop

    Wait till the story is over...

    Unless you are familiar with the Thai system, don't be so quick to say 3 years was not enough... His next three years will be little or no fun for him, and as well, it is clear that he's headed for additional charges anyway.

    Personally, I suspect he'll be a long time before he sees the 'light of day'.

  17. Jesse
    Unhappy

    Fuck counseling

    the paedo. He should get 15 years- that would provide the counseling he needs. The sick fuck should provide a year of his pay to the victim in this case- the kids, so that they can get counseling. Maybe the rest of the money can go to a support fund for abused children.

    Sadly they shouldn't get any money for living though- it would just end up with more kids sucking dick. Sad sad world.

  18. Richard Jalbert
    Black Helicopters

    ...only three years ? Ha!

    He will be thrown into a communal prison with the murderer, old-woman beating thugs, extortionists (who'd cut your ring finger to get the ring while you wait for the buss) and fatherf*ck3rs (guys who when they can't get a girl, will rape theirr own father)...

    and these people _loathe_ kidf*ck3rs.

    Welcome to h3ll, human toilet bowl....

  19. Danny

    'Fair Trials Abroad' for victims too

    The UK group 'Fair Trials Abroad' are regularly quoted in the media criticising harsh sentences for Brits / EU citizens convicted outside of the EU. They never criticise trials like Paul Gadd who was able to bribe his victims impoverished parents with a tiny amount of cash for an improperly lenient sentence.

    Paedo abuse is not new but some believe the net is increasing the effect.

    http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/sexonnet.html

    A global net which spans different 'ages-of-consent' is a complicating factor, but some kids are too young for any man anywhere. Yet when Gadd flies back to the UK next week, he will only face signing the other Register.

  20. Alex
    Coat

    speaking of ignorance...

    @ AC "I can't imagine why the hell anyone would want to go there. Apart from paedos and suicidal drug smugglers that is."

    Besides the diving, the temples, the hill country, the wonderful silks, the wildlife... Gee, no, I can't see why...

    Right, I'm off... mine's the one with the well thumbed "lonely planet" in the pocket.

  21. Anonymous Scotsman
    Gates Halo

    three years, for a given value of three

    Those decrying three years should keep in mind that most government officials in "such countries"(specifically; Vietnam, Thailand, Nepal,Burma, possibly Bhutan and apparently some areas of Sri Lanka) are either the top customers, financial backers or both for child brothels, and the absurd amount of relative capital it brings into the pockets of well secured individuals should really not be understated.

    Indeed, arrests and crackdowns tend to be token gestures and/or lipservice to the international community; a good example would be the run on a certain district on the outskirts of Bangkok(and yes, I have forgotten the name so feel free to disbelieve me), wherein there was spartan evidence that each and every operation thereon was given advanced warning of the inbound inquisition, and the authorities could then testify with a straight face that they found nothing.

    The exception here seems to be when the man caught is stupid enough to be catchable in the first instance, and can be then pumped for more money. I would be surprised if he will still be found in the jail he is dumped in five months from now, unless serious international whatsit is brought to bear.

    Bill, because he was probably swirled with a Windaes product.

  22. Danny
    Unhappy

    Them diity yellow bastas

    "government officials in "such countries"(specifically; Vietnam, Thailand, Nepal,Burma, possibly Bhutan and apparently some areas of Sri Lanka) are either the top customers, financial backers or both for child brothels"

    Yeah, just in those foriegn coloured places. Not like in Belgium, or Jersey or dare I say it ? Scotland. Child abuse didn't start here but instead goes where the impotent power-hungry rich reside. Like charity it starts at home. No need for racism or slopey shoulders, this is OUR problem too.

    £10 to the first persons legal fees who slaps Paul Gadd or any childsex-tourist.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    Forget being a pedo... (I'm from America, where we spell things American)

    ...he should be thrown in the clink for thinking a swirl effect could mask his face when it's easier just to drag a rectangle and ctrl-f. Sheesh. This is a wake-up call, people - basic computer literacy is just NOT where it needs to be.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    How cute

    Ankle chains. Nice touch. I'm sure he'll be quite familiar with the design in a few days. OTOH, I'm also quite sure he's not going to be allowed to grease up before bending over. Win some, lose some. :-)

  25. Jason Clery

    @David Farrell

    "Drug smuggling is a victimless "crime", and I use the word crime in inverted commas because I believe in drug legalisation and victimless because we all make our choices in life, and yet paedophilia is the ultimate victim orientated crime."

    Tell that to the peson who caught a knife in the lungs because a (jobless) addicted needed money for his next fix. Tell that to the parent who finds the corpse of their kid.

  26. A J Stiles
    Flame

    @ Jason Clery

    Please do not confuse the problems associated with the use of certain drugs with the problems associated with the illegality of certain drugs.

    "The peson who caught a knife in the lungs because a (jobless) addicted needed money for his next fix" -- it happened because illegality inflates the prices of drugs and transfers control of the supply chain to criminals. If you're already going down anyway just for taking a hit, then it doesn't matter if you do something else you could go down for in order to get it.

    "The parent who finds the corpse of their kid" -- it most probably happened because there is no quality control or strength marking on illegal drugs; therefore someone might occasionally find an adulterated batch, or a batch that is stronger than they are used to. If you're going to go down for dealing it anyway, irrespective whether it's decent product, then it doesn't matter too much how good it is. Obviously you don't really want to kill off your customer base, but you just have to hope they are mostly sensible.

    You do realise that our caveman ancestors had been cultivating plants for the express purpose of getting high for thousands of years before anyone worked out that they could just as easily cultivate plants for food, don't you?

  27. TEQ
    Flame

    @ Jason Clery

    Did the person who got knifed get knifed because someone takes drugs or because drugs are illegal and therefore expensive? And anyway, do you blame the addict? A victim (in your world anyway) of the person who got them addicted to the substance in the first place?

    The parents blame the drugs for the death of their kid, but what if they found their kid dangling from a rope in the family home. Do they blame the rope? BAN ALL ROPES!

    It must be nice to live in a world that's so black and white, cause and effect so easily linked and a scapegoat so readily available. When you get bored of living in your fantasy world, come try the real one.

    Personally, I haven't touched drugs or alcohol in years and have no intention of doing so ever again, but I fully support the legalisation and proper distribution of narcotic substances if that's what people want. I also fully support a help workshop for people like yourself who appear to be suffering from a severe case of rectal/cranial interfacing.

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Re: <no title> by AC

    "but, how thick do you have to be to apply an image changing algorithm to a picture, when it should be obvious to all and sundry that to get the picture back all you have to do is reverse the process?"

    I'd say about as thick as you'd need to be to make the above statement. Just think about password hashing algorithms.

    If I recall it took the German police a number of years to reverse the swirl which would indicate both the difficulty and determination they had to reveal the identity of the person in the picture(s). Hence giving an indication of how dangerous they thought the individual to be.

  29. David Farrell

    @ Jason Clery

    "Tell that to the peson who caught a knife in the lungs because a (jobless) addicted needed money for his next fix. Tell that to the parent who finds the corpse of their kid."

    What I will tell the person who caught a knife in the lungs and what I will tell the parent who finds the corpse of their kid is that they would both still be alive if drugs were legalised. The continued criminalisation of both drugs themselves and drug addicts turns what should be exclusively a social and medical problem into a major criminal headache, forcing junkies into doing crazy things for their next "fix" and killing experimenting teens with impure and contaminated drugs.

    It also fails to acknowledge that the vast majority of people who dabble in drugs do so recreationaly and responsibly without becoming addicts. This is of course a reality that most governments choose to deny.

  30. Richard Osbaldeston
    Flame

    @ Drugs are bad / Drugs are good / Hang the paedo...

    Nobody cares about your pathetic four-man soapbox about drug laws and why they're good/bad. It is irrelevant to this article.

  31. TEQ

    @ Dick Osbaldeston

    Obviously somebody cares, otherwise there wouldn't be a dialog going on between a few people - including yourself since you've decided to post your opinion about it. If you don't like the direction the comments are reading, might I suggest that you either go read something else, get over yourself, or - and this is my personal favourite suggestion for you, go and find someone to beat you with a clue-stick.

  32. A J Stiles
    Coat

    @ Richard Osbaldeston

    "It is irrelevant to this article"

    When was that ever a good reason not to post a comment?

  33. Jason Clery

    Druggies

    You can spot the users...

    Anyway, people get knifed so some chav can buy a Burberry hat and a pair of Nikes,

    Suddenly making drugs legal (and hence easier to obtain) would stop junkies stealing to support their habits. Remember to tell the chavs next time one of them tries to rob you.

  34. Hanin Elias
    Paris Hilton

    @Druggies - Jason Clery

    why do you insist on pointing out the effects of issues rather than to tackle the root of the issues? first it was blaming drugs for things and now it's blaming 'chavs' for crime. why not blame bad parenting for the existence of chavs... or materialistic advertising schemes for making 'chavs' think that certain insanely priced crap is worth stabbing someone for? why does it always have to be anything but the real problem? guess it's just easier for you to blame something than to fix it.

    Paris... because atleast she's ok with reality.. even tho she doesn't understand it...

  35. Jason Clery

    @Hanin Elias

    It seems you missed the comment made that of drugs were legal, druggies would not do crime to get their fix. I was simply pointing out that shoes are legal and people still get knifed over them.

    Now, couple that with a physical and psychological dependancy, and druggies will still be robbing and killing for their fix.

    It seems the middle class users on this board think that all druggies are like them. Well when the middle class users use enough of it and their performance suffers, and they get slung out of their jobs, then they will be robbing for their fix.

    Yes, not everyone does become a junkie, but enough people do.

    As I said before, you can spot the users when they come out to bat...

  36. Walter Brown

    To the naysayers...

    This case was designed for one simple reason...

    To buy time. Time to allow for other investigations to continue gathering evidence against him. it was a smart move on their part, knowing that there is potentially dozens of other cases / victims out there, and needing time to identify and contact them and so on, and not wanting to risk a disaster at trial which might set him free, such as a mistrial or even acquittal (not too sure how Thai law works), they offer him what looks to him to be a sweet deal, one he cant refuse, and it buys them time for their own and other governments to build additional cases against him, 3 years and 3 months to be exact, which should be plenty of time to identify additional victims and wittiness's and get them to come forward.

    In my eyes a brilliant move....

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @tom

    how can a whole word be a typo?

    Don't you mean unintention as opposed to intentional (distasteful) pun. Although I fail to see how it's a pun. As far as i'm aware he did not step on anyone.

    @AC, why WOULDN'T the comments section be open? It is open for the purpose of commenting on the story. That's about the long and short of it. Not really a hard concept to grasp.

    @David. Couldn't you still recover the missing piece with metadata?

    Also, I looked up his exact sentence (39 months) and discovered that he studied to become a priest ...He could have been sentenced to 35 years, got 6 and that was reduced because he pleaded guilty. Read the rest of the story, it says he faces more charges with a possible 20 years...

  38. sharon farrer
    Unhappy

    Will just make this comment then I'll be on my way...

    Anonymous Coward,

    On August 15th at 14. 57 GMT you posted the following comment.

    'Really glad the the guy was an utter moron when it came to trying to hide his identity, but, how thick do you have to be to apply an image changing algorithm to a picture, when it should be obvious to all and sundry that to get the picture back all you have to do is reverse the process?'

    The pervert can't be that thick AC; he's evaded capture for years. From what I've gathered so far paedophiles are generally clever. Take for example their petition which is aiming for the abolition of the sex offenders registry, part of their twisted campaign to make the world a better place for those who sexually abuse children. Amongst the huge list of signatories there are many doctors, lawyers, pastors, ministers, librarians, teachers, IT professionals, mothers and wives of violent child abusers, technicians, dentists, vets writers, social workers, etc etc. (www.wikisposure.com/Reform_Sex_Offender_Laws_Campaign)

    It's a real eye-opener. We all know these scumbags are everywhere, but when you actually see all those names on the list it makes your skin crawl. Imagine how many more there are infesting other parts of the world.

    Right then, I'm off to see what those corporate sex offenders youtube are turning a blind eye to today. There may not be any videos of children being sexually abused since youtube last got told off, but you can bet your bottom dollar there will be plenty of sick comments attached to innocent videos of kids playing, videos which known and outed paedophiles (again see wikisposure) steal for their own perverted channels.

    By the way AC, I may not know about algorithms but I do know that you don't need to put a comma after the word 'but'.

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