ladyarkles
04-26-2005, 08:56 PM
A 43-year-old Finnish man is suspected of having had sexual relations with 445 Thai boys since 1989 in what is being regarded as one of the biggest crimes of its kind, police officials said on Monday. "The man was arrested on January 6 at the Helsinki airport as he was returning from Thailand. His name turned up in an investigation into a pedophilia ring in Belgium," police commissioner Lars Henriksson said.
The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, kept a diary listing each of his sexual partners, who were all young male prostitutes aged 10 to 13, Henriksson said.
The man made a total of 26 trips to Thailand over 15 years.
"The statute of limitations has not expired on any of the actions because we consider it to be an ongoing crime," Henriksson said.
"In a raid on his home in Finland we also found films that he made. It's additional evidence but the children do not need to be identified for him to be found guilty" by a judge, Henriksson said, adding that the man was being "cooperative" in the investigation.
The suspect was not part of a larger network, he said.
Under Finnish law, Finns can be tried for crimes committed abroad.
The man faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse. His trial is expected to open within a few months.
If convicted, he will become the criminal with the largest number of victims in the Nordic country.
The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, kept a diary listing each of his sexual partners, who were all young male prostitutes aged 10 to 13, Henriksson said.
The man made a total of 26 trips to Thailand over 15 years.
"The statute of limitations has not expired on any of the actions because we consider it to be an ongoing crime," Henriksson said.
"In a raid on his home in Finland we also found films that he made. It's additional evidence but the children do not need to be identified for him to be found guilty" by a judge, Henriksson said, adding that the man was being "cooperative" in the investigation.
The suspect was not part of a larger network, he said.
Under Finnish law, Finns can be tried for crimes committed abroad.
The man faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse. His trial is expected to open within a few months.
If convicted, he will become the criminal with the largest number of victims in the Nordic country.