Married British teacher is convicted of sexually abusing a five-year-old girl at a private school in Cambodia

  • Mark Smith, from Norfolk, moved to Cambodia in 2007 to teach and in 2014 he became vice principal of a private school in Phnom Penh
  • In July last year he was arrested and accused of abusing a five-year-old pupil 
  • On Thursday a court found him guilty of taking the girl home and molesting her
  • He was handed a two year suspended sentence and a fine of £885 

By Richard Shears and Chris Pleasance for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A British teacher has received a suspended sentence for sexually abusing a five-year-old girl from the school he worked at in Cambodia.

Mark Smith, 40, had been Vice Principal of Golden Bridge International School in Phnom Penh when he took the young student home and molested her.

The married father-of-two from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was found guilty of 'committing indecent assault with aggravating circumstances' and received a two-year suspended jail sentence on Thursday.

Mark Smith, 40, from Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk, has been found guilty of sexually abusing a five-year-old female pupil at a private school where he was vice principal 

Mark Smith, 40, from Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk, has been found guilty of sexually abusing a five-year-old female pupil at a private school where he was vice principal 

Smith (pictured outside court with his wife and child) took the girl home before molesting her. He was handed a two year suspended sentence and a fine of £885

Smith (pictured outside court with his wife and child) took the girl home before molesting her. He was handed a two year suspended sentence and a fine of £885

He was also fined five million Cambodian Riels (£885) after the hearing at Phnom Penh Municipal Court. 

The allegations against Smith surfaced during a radio show in July last year when the show's host was discussing the the case of British paedophile Clive Cressy, a doctor arrested for abusing girls.

The female radio host gave details of alleged abuse by Smith, claiming the girls' parents were too afraid to make a complaint. 

Police later followed up the case and arrested Smith.

Khoem Vando, Child Protection Specialist at Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) which had worked on the case, said: 'APLE responded to the report immediately and started looking into the matter with police, who acted very swiftly. 

'The suspect was quickly identified at the school and sufficient evidence was found to justify the arrest of Mark Andrew Smith.'

Smith moved to Siem Reap, in Cambodia, in 2007, where he started working at Smart Kids International School. 

In August 2014 he moved to Phnom Penh to work at the Golden Bridge School as its Vice Principal.

He was arrested in July last year while leaving the schoolroom for the day and held in custody on suspicion of sexually abusing a five-year-old girl.

Smith moved to Camboia in 2007 in order to teach, and became vice principal of the Golden Bridge International School in Phnom Penh in 2014

Smith moved to Camboia in 2007 in order to teach, and became vice principal of the Golden Bridge International School in Phnom Penh in 2014

The allegations against Smith only came to light after a radio host who knew the family spoke about the incident on her show, leading police to investigate

Speaking after the verdict, APLE Executive Director Seila Samleang said: 'It is a grave concern to observe the growing incidence of child sexual abuse in private schools, orphanages and child-welfare organisations over the last few years.

'The situation is alarming and effective measures must be put in place to stop the problem. 

'The lack of child safeguarding procedures at schools, for instance, and the fact that these institutions fail to conduct proper checks on their employees, can be the main factors which allow abuse to happen and persist.'

Speaking in handcuffs outside court following the arrest last year and with his wife and child, Smith said: 'Innocent 100 per cent, okay, innocent 100 per cent. 

'It's a disgrace. This is my family, this is my family, I have two kids, [this is an attempt] to break up my family, and I didn't do anything.'

Last month, retired British businessmen Leslie Peter Henman, 63, and David Malcolm Brock, 65, were arrested in Cambodia's Siem Reap province accused of molesting dozens of underage boys by luring them to play in their swimming pool. 

Their case is currently progressing through the courts.

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