NZ rapist in good health, says Cambodian jail boss

Graham Cleghorn faces another 10 years in jail because he is unable to pay compensation. Photo / Supplied

Thursday Jan 7, 2010

(CAAI News Media)

A Cambodian prison official says a former Wellington man jailed for rape will not die behind bars.

His supporters have expressed fears over his health, but Prey Sar prison director Mong Kim Heng told the Phnom Penh Post Graham Cleghorn was strong and healthy.

"I see him almost every day in prison; he can run better than you," he said.

Cleghorn, 57, is serving a 20-year term in the Phnom Penh jail for raping five employees aged between 14 and 19 in Siem Reap, about 300km northwest of Phnom Penh.

Cleghorn, a former temple tourist guide, faces an extra 10 years being added to his sentence because he is unable to pay reparations to his victims.

He was jailed in 2004 for 20 years, and the judge said he would serve an extra two years for each victim if he did not pay US$2000 ($2700) to each girl's family.

The Cambodian Court of Appeal has rejected two appeals by Cleghorn.

The New Zealand embassy in Bangkok monitors Cleghorn's wellbeing, and was in regular contact with his daughter in Australia.

But his New Zealand lawyer, Greg King, told the Dominion Post Cleghorn's health was deteriorating.

Cleghorn claimed he was framed by the Cambodian Women's Crisis Centre, which he alleged fabricated the story to get foreign aid money.

A centre spokesman denied the accusation.

- NZPA