Andrew Drummond

Briton arrested for third time for child abuse as Britain’s CEOP faces criticism
July 22 2009

A British property developer, whose family owned large estates in Ireland, has been arrested for the third time in the Thai beach resort of Pattaya for child sex abuse.
Robert Alexander Horsman, 45, from Ipswich, was first arrested in March 2006. Then in a high profile investigation called ‘Operation Naga’ led by Pimlico based CEOP, he was arrested again in Pattaya last December.
Today Horsman, a former public schoolboy from Ipswich, was in custody again in Pattaya 100 miles east of Bangkok on new sex charges involving a 14-yr-old boy, after it was revealed all ‘Naga’ suspects had been released on bail and a prime witness had disappeared.
Those arrested in ‘Operation Naga’  include another Briton, Malcolm Payne, 59, who formerly ran a gay bondage shop  in  London, who remains at liberty on child sex abuse charges.
Announcing the success of ‘Operation Naga CEOP chief Jim Gamble said at the time: “We share a clear, joint commitment  to prevent harm to children.  The Royal Thai Police have demonstrated an unerring commitment to making Thailand a hostile environment for UK offenders and CEOP will continue to proactively support that commitment.”
After CEOP officers left Thailand,  Horsman and the other offenders including Briton Malcolm Payne, 59, the former owner of ‘Regulation’ in Islington, London, an American and a German were released on bail.  A young boy in protective custody also fled.
 Horsman was re-arrested on Tuesday after allegedly buying himself  a 14-yr-old teenager out of a Pattaya male a-go-go bar  called ‘Look’ in Sunnee Plaza, Pattaya . He was picked up after a complaint made  by child welfare Supakorn Koja of the local Child Protection and Development Centre (CPDC) to the Children, Juveniles and Woman’s Protection Division of the Thai police.

When he was first arrested in March 2006 Thaipolice  alleged that he abused five boys aged 9 to 13 and lured them into providing sexual services by letting them play video games and buying them presents.  But when it came to court in Pattaya no evidence was offered and he was acquitted.
Sudarat Sereewat, Secretary General  of FACE Fight Against Child Exploitation Foundation of Thailand said: “ Operation Naga was not the quite success that was claimed for it.  These cases will always go wrong if they are not constantly monitored.  Somebody has to watch the watchers”.

“Horsman was subject to special monitoring because of the wealth he had and what he could do with it”.

Horsman, originally from Saxmundham, Suffolk,  grew up in Ireland. He has a work permit in Thailand to run a property business for a company based in  Tullow Fethars, Tipperary where his family had large land holdings  including hundreds of acres near Ballingary. He attended Headfort Preparatory School in Co. Meath.

CPWC - The Children’s and Woman’s Protection Division of the Thai police Region 2, operates out of Banlamuang and independent of local police but with the same top structure .

CPDC- is operated under the auspices of FACE. Many foreigners in Pattaya are monitored by this agency.

CEOP - Britain’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection agency operates not under Scotland Yard but the Serious Organised Crimes Agency (SOCA) , a blend of police, government intelligence, and customs investigators.

Operation Naga: This operation was put into operation on December 11th last year. The CEOP press release at the time is here.

On December 22 2008 after CEOP officers had returned to the UK the Bangkok Post published a report by Wassayos Ngamkham. Thai police were quoted as saying that the most important target, a Brit had escaped arrested during the operation.

”It’s an organisation deeply involved in the sex trade with a British man as the mastermind,” Pol Lt-Col Panya said. ”He contacts customers through a website and has a Thai transvestite procure children for customers, most of whom are Europeans who have businesses in Thailand or retirees who have settled here.”

*: While CEOP faces some criticism,  the unit cannot control what happens to suspects after arrest abroad and in this case when they enter the Thai justice system. CEOP is still the best bet for Britons to contact if they know of other UK nationals abusing children in Thailand or anywhere abroad.

*Sunee Plaza is renowned for the availability of young boys both in the bars and in the street.  Nevertheless to actually operate the bars owners  have to pay monthly fees to the local police. Bar are periodically closed down and the ‘Look  a-go-go’ was raided this week coincidental with this arrest.

CEOP contacts are here: