A Cambodian court has found former Australian teacher Garry Mulroy guilty of a lesser charge of indecent assault and sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, but allegations of child prostitution have been dropped.
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"He was prepared for the verdict. He is upset but doing okay," his risk management adviser Ross Milosevic told AAP on Tuesday.
Mulroy had faced up to 15 years' imprisonment on allegations he had molested six boys at a home school he was building. The court in Siem Reap ordered that time served be taken into account. Mulroy will be eligible for release in June next year, but he is considering an appeal, according to friends.
The more serious charge was dropped after Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) withdrew legal representation, despite initially accusing the former Australian Catholic teacher from Lismore of child sex offences against the boys, aged 11-14.
Police chief Colonel Chea Heng of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Division in Siem Reap also failed to attend any of the hearings.
"Indecent assault - which is considered a misdemeanour - sadly, Garry was found guilty of this. We were half expecting this result as it allows the judges and the police to save face and justify Garry's detainment," said long-time friend Joel Saye from Australia.
Mulroy's case had generated enormous interest in Cambodia and Australia where an independent report undertaken by Milosevic and commissioned by the defence found the charges were a bid by police, NGOs, judiciary and government officials to extort money.
He had previously worked for an orphanage but had left amid a disagreement over finances and treatment of the children and had decided to establish his own school, Education House, which led to petty rivalries among foreign-run NGOS in northwest Siem Reap.
The report also said police interviews with the boys were not conducted with any adult supervision and made "under extreme duress, intimidation and extortion" to secure charges against Mulroy.
"The charge of indecent assault is ridiculous because all the boys have said three times in the prosecutor interview, investigative judge interview and directly in court that they were never touched by Garry," Milosevic said after the verdict.
Copies of the report have been sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne, among others.
Australia has classified Cambodia as a level-four country, the lowest of rankings. Its online travel advice includes: "If you travel to this location, you're at a high risk of death, imprisonment, kidnapping or serious injury."
Australian Associated Press
