AN EXPAT teacher who was accused of child molestation has had the charge against him dropped. Now he wants his life back. ''The psychological damage of being falsely labeled a pedophile is enormous,'' Andrew Clements said today.
As the first step, the Australian wants official permission for him to hold a passport restored by Australia. Rather than presume he was innocent until proven guilty, the Australian government stripped him of his passport by letter while he was being held in Phuket Prison, awaiting a hearing.
But he now has the actual passport, which was being held by Thai authorities.
He has always maintained that the charge against him was ''totally unfounded and fabricated.'' But apparently his own government preferred to believe otherwise.
While spending 12 days in prison, the 50-year-old teacher was subjected to an extortion attempt by other expat inmates and a threat that he could be killed in jail if he did not pay up. He paid up.
As well as knowing that he was innocent of the charge, Mr Clements had to face the fact that two newspapers in his home state of Tasmania carried the news of the charge against him, displaying it prominently.
Now he wonders whether they will carry with equal prominence reports that the charge has been dropped.
News that the allegation had lapsed for lack of evidence came to light today when Mr Clements presented himself at Phuket Provincial Court, expecting to have the formal hearing against him begin.
He was asked to wait, and about an hour or so later, he was told the good news. The case would not proceed.
''It's a huge relief, but it's still sinking in,'' he told Phuketwan today. ''I will be having a juicy steak and a bottle of red tonight and just relaxing.''
Mr Clements lost his job at an international school on Phuket and the claim of molestation followed. School authorities issued a statement making it plain that there was no link between the two events.
Putting his life back together may not be easy for Mr Clements. ''I don't know what to do,'' he said.
''I have been without a job, living off my own funds since the charge was made back in March. I have had the wonderful support of my Thai partner, but I may have difficulty finding a job here.
''Once you have been labelled a pedophile, your reputation has been tarnished forever.''
Mr Clements hopes to be voluntarily given back the money extorted from him by fellow inmates at Phuket Prison, and does not wish to press charges against the men involved if a settlement can be mediated.
He is less sanguine about the letter from the Australian government, telling him that his passport had been cancelled.
He wrote a letter in response, and was informed in a second letter that he could appeal via the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in Australia, but it could take months and would only begin with payment of a fee of $A682.
He still has the passport, despite the letter. The passport contains his current Thai visa, and he wonders whether, despite his innocence, despite the case being dropped, he will now be asked to pay for a new one.
As the first step, the Australian wants official permission for him to hold a passport restored by Australia. Rather than presume he was innocent until proven guilty, the Australian government stripped him of his passport by letter while he was being held in Phuket Prison, awaiting a hearing.
But he now has the actual passport, which was being held by Thai authorities.
He has always maintained that the charge against him was ''totally unfounded and fabricated.'' But apparently his own government preferred to believe otherwise.
While spending 12 days in prison, the 50-year-old teacher was subjected to an extortion attempt by other expat inmates and a threat that he could be killed in jail if he did not pay up. He paid up.
As well as knowing that he was innocent of the charge, Mr Clements had to face the fact that two newspapers in his home state of Tasmania carried the news of the charge against him, displaying it prominently.
Now he wonders whether they will carry with equal prominence reports that the charge has been dropped.
News that the allegation had lapsed for lack of evidence came to light today when Mr Clements presented himself at Phuket Provincial Court, expecting to have the formal hearing against him begin.
He was asked to wait, and about an hour or so later, he was told the good news. The case would not proceed.
''It's a huge relief, but it's still sinking in,'' he told Phuketwan today. ''I will be having a juicy steak and a bottle of red tonight and just relaxing.''
Mr Clements lost his job at an international school on Phuket and the claim of molestation followed. School authorities issued a statement making it plain that there was no link between the two events.
Putting his life back together may not be easy for Mr Clements. ''I don't know what to do,'' he said.
''I have been without a job, living off my own funds since the charge was made back in March. I have had the wonderful support of my Thai partner, but I may have difficulty finding a job here.
''Once you have been labelled a pedophile, your reputation has been tarnished forever.''
Mr Clements hopes to be voluntarily given back the money extorted from him by fellow inmates at Phuket Prison, and does not wish to press charges against the men involved if a settlement can be mediated.
He is less sanguine about the letter from the Australian government, telling him that his passport had been cancelled.
He wrote a letter in response, and was informed in a second letter that he could appeal via the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in Australia, but it could take months and would only begin with payment of a fee of $A682.
He still has the passport, despite the letter. The passport contains his current Thai visa, and he wonders whether, despite his innocence, despite the case being dropped, he will now be asked to pay for a new one.
Nothing amazes me regarding the attitude of Australian bureaucrats.The culprit could well be at the embassy in Bangkok hiding in a cupboard.
Posted by azzagood on June 15, 2010 10:29