A Canadian man who was jailed in Thailand for sexually abusing children has been arrested in Vancouver on new charges.
Christopher Paul Neil, a former English teacher from Maple Ridge, B.C., became known around the world as Mr. Swirl because of how he altered his face on digital images. An international investigation led to his 2007 arrest in Bangkok. He pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting one boy and was later convicted of assaulting another.
After five years in a Thai prison, Neil returned to Canada in 2012 and was required to follow strict conditions designed to protect children.
On Friday, Vancouver police and the B.C. RCMP announced Neil was arrested and charged with 10 new criminal offences, based on two different investigations.
The first probe by the B.C. RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation unit relates to alleged sexual abuse of children in Cambodia in 2003. The evidence collected in B.C. had been forwarded to Thai officials for their initial investigation, but was not used in their prosecution, the RCMP explained in a news release.
Under a special section of the Criminal Code, the RCMP can investigate and prosecute certain offences, such as child pornography, committed by Canadian citizens in other countries.
Neil has been charged with two counts of sexual touching, two counts of invitation to sexual touching and one count of producing pornography.
One count of possession of child pornography was also laid in relation to a 2007 incident in Maple Ridge, said police.
The second investigation was conducted by the Vancouver police last year and resulted in four charges, alleging that Neil possessed and viewed child pornography.
Since his return to Canada, Neil has already pleaded guilty to violating a condition that prohibited him from possessing devices that could access the Internet.
Neil remains in police custody, said police on Friday.
