Canadian ‘swirl face’ paedophile jailed in Thailand

A Canadian teacher arrested in Thailand after an unprecedented Interpol manhunt was sentenced to three years and three months in prison today for kidnapping and sexually abusing an underage boy.

Christopher Paul Neil, 33, was seized in northeastern Thailand last October following a campaign by the international police agency Interpol, which had reconstructed a series of digitally “swirled” Internet images of a man abusing boys.

The court in Bangkok reduced his sentence from six years and six months, citing Neil’s confession. He was also ordered to pay USD 1,800 fine.

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Neil did not say anything as he left the courtroom in shackles and an orange prison uniform, but smiled at reporters.

He was convicted of molesting a 13-year-old boy. Neil still faces charges in a separate case of molesting the boy’s nine-year-old brother.