Australian abused kids including an 18-month-old
Philippine prosecutors said on Thursday (March 5) that they will file human trafficking, statutory rape and murder charges against an Australian man who allegedly sexually assaulted babies and children as part of a booming cyber-sex trade.
The suspect, Gerard Peter Scully, 51, was arrested in the southern Philippines city of Malaybalay last month after allegedly sexually abusing at least eight girls, including an 18-month-old infant.
He also allegedly strangled one of the girls to death, with her skeleton later discovered buried under a house he had rented, investigators said.
The Australian will also be charged with violating the Philippines’ cybercrime laws.
A complaint, filed by Justice Department investigators with the prosecutors’ office, said Scully forced the girls to perform sexual acts in front of a video camera for paying clients overseas.
In the complaint outlining the case against Scully, a 13-year-old girl was quoted as saying that her impoverished family agreed she could do domestic work at his home in 2012.
Sex acts
But she was instead forced to perform sex acts with other girls, and was beaten by Scully’s Filipina girlfriend when she refused, according to the prosecutors’ complaint.
The girl said she fled Scully’s house after she learned he had sold her to a German national who was coming to collect her, the complaint said.
The head of the anti-human trafficking division of the justice department’s investigating arm, Eric Nuqui, said that Scully had been the subject of an international probe after Netherlands police found out about his activities.
If convicted, the Australian could face life in prison.
Source: AFP
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now