Saturday, 20 December 2008

B.C. man facing allegations of sex tourism has court application dismissed

THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER, B.C. — A British Columbia court has rejected a Vancouver-area man's request to dismiss three dozen charges related to allegations of sex-tourism.

The charges against Kenneth Klassen stem from allegations involving young girls in Colombia, Cambodia and the Philippines. Klassen's lawyers argued there is no direct link with the Canadian justice system because the alleged offences took place outside Canada.

But B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen rejected that argument.

He ruled that sexual exploitation of children is something that a nation has a sovereign interest in preventing amongst its nationals, no matter where they take place.

Klassen, an international art dealer, was arrested in March, 2007 after a two-and-a-half year international investigation.

The RCMP said it netted videos that showed a man having sex with young girls.

The charges against Klassen include sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, and making child pornography.

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