Investigators in Canada and Cambodia are probing the activities of a Vancouver man arrested for a series of sex crimes against Cambodian children. The Child Protection Unit, an investigative group linked to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior and funded by the nonprofit Cambodian Children’s Fund, says Andrew David Eyre, 43, was arrested and charged last week with rape of a child and indecent assault. . The allegations involve eight Cambodian victims between the ages of eight and 12, said the unit’s director, James McCabe. RCMP told CBC News they are also investigating Eyre. Members of the Child Protection Unit, in a handout photo, sort through items allegedly found on Andrew Eyre during his arrest. James McCabe, director of the Child Protection Unit, is on the right. (Cambodia Children’s Fund) “The RCMP liaison officer in Thailand and the National Child Exploitation Crime Center are further looking into Eyre’s activities in Canada and abroad,” wrote Sgt. Caroline Duval in an email. “In addition, the liaison officer is assisting the investigation team in Cambodia.” Eyre, according to a LinkedIn page matching his description, has work, education and volunteer ties to Burnaby. Cpl. Alexa Hodgins with the Burnaby RCMP told the CBC in an email that Mounties there “had prior records with Andrew Eyre in 2018 where he had been convicted of sex-related offences.” The Crown Prosecution Service would not comment on any previous convictions and follow-up questions to the RCMP were not immediately answered. McCabe says investigators in Cambodia plan to cast a wide net in looking at what Eyre’s actions were in that country.
He is supposed to have visited a remote village
According to McCabe, Eyre reportedly visited a remote community in Kandal province, 75 kilometers outside the capital, Phnom Penh. He claimed to be a doctor and examined many children. It was during these examinations that the offenses allegedly occurred. McCabe said the welfare and condition of the children is being monitored.
Burnaby Connections
The Child Protection Unit and the Cambodian Children’s Fund described Eyre as an executive chef. A LinkedIn page is online that matches his name, culinary work experience, time spent in Cambodia and approximate age. The page states that Eyre is currently based in Phnom Penh after stints working in China and several restaurants, catering companies and a golf course in BC. The page also lists him as a volunteer at Willingdon Church in Burnaby. A pastor there told the CBC that he has been recalling Eyre since many years ago, but it was unclear to him whether Eyre was a volunteer. However, she hadn’t heard of any problems with him. The LinkedIn page also lists Eyre as a volunteer cooking teacher at Burnaby Central Secondary School. The BC Teacher Registry does not list anyone by name as holding a teacher’s license, nor is there a disciplinary record for anyone by name. CBC has not yet been able to get a response from the Burnaby school district.
Human rights concerns
The charges against Eyre in Cambodia have not been tested in court. McCabe says Eyre remains in custody. If convicted of raping a child, he could be sentenced to seven to 15 years in prison. Penalties for indecent assault range from a fine to up to three years in prison. The US State Department has highlighted “significant human rights issues” in Cambodia, including concerns about the fairness of the justice system. McCabe says Eyre has been given a lawyer and will receive a fair trial, including access to consular support. “He will be afforded his rights under the judicial system, which is a pretty robust system,” McCabe said, adding that Eyre has offered no explanation for his alleged actions. Global Affairs Canada says it is aware of a Canadian being held in Cambodia and is gathering more information.
Sex tourism is a major problem
While Cambodia is known for its incredible culture and natural beauty, it struggles with overwhelming poverty and the legacies of civil war and the Khmer Rouge dictatorship and genocide. Cambodia’s top tourist destination is the ancient complex of Angkor Wat, but the problem of sex tourism — especially involving child abuse — is well known. (Liam Britten/CBC) Cambodia has long had a reputation as a “sex tourism” destination. The exploitation of minors has been recognized as a problem by many agencies in the country and beyond its borders, including the United Nations. However, McCabe believes things have improved over the past 10 to 15 years. In Cambodia’s second largest city, Siem Reap, photo exhibitions preserve the memory of the nation’s suffering under the Khmer Rouge. A shrine in the center contains skulls of victims of the regime. (Liam Britten/CBC) “The efforts of the international community and the Cambodian National Police and the Cambodian government to eradicate child sex tourism have been very successful and should be applauded for that,” he said. McCabe adds that if Eyre were convicted in Cambodia, he could also face prosecution in Canada once he returns to that country.
