Alleged paedophile Michael Jones photograhed in Cambodia

Sickening moment suspected paedophile was snapped hand-in-hand with Cambodian 11-year-old girl

Michael Jones, 55, has been charged with carrying out indecent acts against minors and paying for child prostitution

Mirror | 3 August 2014

This picture shows the moment that an alleged paedophile from the UK was spotted with an underage girl in Cambodia.

Welshman Michael Jones, 55, is seen holding the hand of an 11-year-old in the country's capital Phnom Penh.

Pictures also emerged of him with half-dressed eight and nine-year-olds, and with a small child sitting on his lap.

One girl, 11, told police that she was paid £3 for sex in a room rented by a man.

Jones has been arrested after charity Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) took pictures of Jones following a tip-off about alleged activity with underage girls in Cambodia.

It is believed they were 12 or 13 - the country's age of consent is 15.

It is alleged that Jones then took the girls shopping, bought them gifts and gave them money before taking them back to their houses.

This was the moment suspected paedophile Michael Jones was snapped strolling hand in hand with an 11-year-old girl in Cambodia

He left Cambodia in mid-April before returning on June 9 when APLE started to monitor him again when he is alleged to have taken an underage girl to a rented room.

A spokesman for APLE told Wales Online that he took the girl shopping, bought food for her and took her to the cinema.

He is alleged to have been seen 'hugging and kissing' her and was seen allegedly grooming three others.

The charity spokesman claimed Jones was seen promising to pay the rent for one family.

He was arrested at a taxi rank in Phnom Penh by the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Unit and six girls were questioned.

Four of them claimed they had been abused by Jones, who is said to be from South Wales.

An APLE spokesman said: "On June 27, 2014, Michael Jones was officially charged by Phnom Penh’s court prosecutor and he was remanded to Prey Sar prison awaiting further court proceeding and trial."

He has been charged with carrying out indecent acts against minors and paying for child prostitution. If found guilty he faces eight years in jail.

One of his alleged victims was put into secure accommodation while the other three were returned to their families.

This was the moment suspected paedophile Michael Jones was snapped with half-dressed eight and nine-year-old girls and with a small child nestled on his lap

A spokesman for the UK arm of End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes said: "There are many cases where offenders will be tried and rightly convicted, but it seems like something is still not working, because we are still hearing of new cases.

"What is going wrong here? Why is it British nationals – though I’m sure this is done by those of other nations – feel they can go to Cambodia and commit these crimes with impunity? Is it the British system failing?"

She added: "We hope this acts as a deterrent to anyone who thinks they can go to countries like Cambodia and abuse vulnerable children."

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: "South Wales Police Specialist Crime has not been made aware by the authorities in Cambodia of this arrest and are not involved in this investigation."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We were informed of the arrest of a British national in Cambodia on June 24 this year. We are providing consulate assistance.",