Aussie arrested for detention
AN AUSTRALIAN man was arrested in the seaside town of Sihanoukville after he allegedly locked up his girlfriend and demanded sex from her sister and niece, police confirmed yesterday.
James Bernard King, 69, was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning, with police alleging he unlawfully confined his partner You Kea, 38, her sister You Chang Reth, 27, niece Touch Ratana, 22, and Chang Reth’s son and daughter, aged 6 and 2, when they visited his residence on December 27.
“At night, King locked the doors and did not allow those people to get out,” said National Police spokesman Kirth Chantharith. “He put the condition that his girlfriend [must] cook a meal for him, and the other two [Kea’s sister and niece] must go to the room and have sex with him, otherwise he will not allow them to leave his house.”
For hours the five victims pleaded with King, who was unarmed, to let them go, before contacting a relative who notified the authorities.
Police spent two hours appealing to King before they forced the door at 12:15am. King’s captives endured about 10 hours in detention but were left physically unharmed.
“My young niece and nephew were very scared – they hugged their mother and me, but no one was sexually abused,” Kea, King’s girlfriend, said.
Sihanoukville Provincial Court Prosecutor Chab Sok Raksmey yesterday confirmed King was charged with illegal confinement, which carries a one- to three-year prison term, and the case is now before the investigating judge.