A British tourist arrested for allegedly raping a six-year-old girl in Thailand was reported to police by the child’s mother, with whom he had been in a relationship, investigators say.
Luke Adam Lawrence, 30, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, was identified by investigators from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) through a video allegedly showing a child being abused.
Officers worked with local police and tracked Lawrence to the Pattaya resort of ‘Sin City’, where he lived with his girlfriend, a Thai national whom he had reportedly been with for about two years.
The 25-year-old mother, identified in Thai media only as ‘Mrs B’, was reportedly shocked to see evidence that her partner had abused her child and immediately filed charges against him.
After locating him using video evidence from the NCA, social media and phone tracking tools, armed police stormed his rented home at the Private Paradise Pattaya condominium on Tuesday morning, December 3.
Footage shows Lawrence emerging from the bedroom shirtless, followed by a woman. An interpreter in a blue denim jacket was present and read the charges to the suspect.
Police ordered Lawrence to kneel before confirming his name. He responded by saying “what, woah, wow” as the charges were read out.
Reading from the court’s arrest warrant, the translator says: ‘Based on the illegal conduct you committed, a charge has been filed for rape, statutory rape, of another individual, by force, by threat, by applying threats and violence, violent threats’ and violent violence, against a person who was in a position who could not resist, or a person who could not fight back.
‘Also against a minor under the age of thirteen, who is not your wife, and not your lawful wife.’
Luke Adam Lawrence, 30, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, was identified by National Crime Agency (NCA) detectives in London over an alleged video of a schoolgirl being abused
Officers worked with local police and tracked Lawrence to the Pattaya resort of ‘Sin City’, where he was living with a Thai woman
Thailand’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CIB) issued a press release confirming that the suspect has been identified by the NCA in England for the child sexual abuse
The translator continued, “Even if that child agreed or disagreed, this behavior was committed against a child who has not yet reached the age of thirteen, so even if the child agreed or disagreed, The child was in a situation where he couldn’t fight back or do anything about it.”
Lawrence was then formally arrested for allegedly raping the youngster, who he is said to have known through a friend. He was marched into a waiting police van.
Thailand’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CIB) has since issued a warning to Thai women meeting foreign partners through online platforms, specifically warning of the risks of pedophilia.
The CIB previously issued a press release confirming that the suspect had been identified by the NCA in England for the sexual abuse of the child.
Officers said the investigation was launched when the NCA claimed to have traced child abuse content to Lawrence’s phone.
One clip allegedly showed him raping a young Southeast Asian girl, which they say happened in Thailand.
Police in Britain then liaised with officers in Bangkok from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division. Thai police said they analyzed the footage and compared it with various locations in Pattaya and social media posts to find Lawrence.
They claim to have identified the victim as a seven-year-old girl who was abused when she was six years old. They believe Lawrence had ties to the alleged victim’s mother.
An arrest warrant was issued for ‘rape of a minor under the age of 13’ and Lawrence was arrested at 7:15 am.
He was handcuffed and transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Department for further legal action.
Police ordered Lawrence to kneel before confirming his name. He responded by saying “what, woah, wow” as the charges were read out
Police officers in Britain liaised with officers in Bangkok from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division to find Lawrence
Lieutenant Colonel Kiatkong Thongkham of the Anti-Human Trafficking Department said: “The suspect denied all charges and refused to testify during the arrest. He was being held at the police station.”
Investigating officers later informed the schoolgirl’s mother of the arrest. They allegedly presented evidence and she filed more complaints to be added to the charge sheet.
The CIB said in a statement on the case that local women should “beware” of foreign men visiting the country in search of a girlfriend.
They said: ‘This is a warning to Thai women seeking foreign partners through various online channels to be careful of the dangers of pedophilia, a mental disorder that causes sufferers to be sexually interested in children who have not yet reached puberty .
‘It is vital that you are aware of and protect yourself from the dangers that can arise from those who behave in this way.’