pedophiles the gambia

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A tourist wades into the bounding main with a small African child in Republic of the gambia - where child sex corruption is rife

Gambian children are being sold to British paedophiles for every bit petty every bit £2-a-time by their desperate parents, Lord's day Online can reveal.

Huge numbers of predators are taking reward of lax laws in the poverty stricken African country to embark on sick child abuse holidays where they openly target little boys and girls.

Lord's day Online saw starting time paw how poor Gambian children tin be vulnerable to British paedos when nosotros visited the embankment resorts that dot Kololi on the country's picturesque Atlantic coastline.

Our reporter was constantly shocked by the number of unaccompanied African minors he saw beingness cared for by heart-anile, Western men who did not appear to exist their biological fathers.

gambia pedophiles child british man

A homo with a British accent holds a scared toddler in his arms

The encounters witnessed included a girl aged between six and eight having luncheon with a balding, white haired man in a restaurant filled with similarly aged tourists.

The same twenty-four hour period we saw a stoutly congenital man in his 50s or 60s wading into the ocean gripping the hand of a tiny African child in white swimming shorts.

Equally unsettling was the sight of a Gambian toddler watching broad-eyed with fear as a heart-aged white adult female got into a fist fight with a young black prostitute at a popular beach bar.

Information technology was 11.30pm at dark and the air was thick with cigarette fume. The child, no older than two, was being held closely by a white man with a British accent.

Children sold for £two

Our investigation comes as experts warn that the economical crisis unleashed by the collapse of travel firm Thomas Cook is helping plough the former British colony into a "paedophile paradise" where perverts can operate unchecked.

Thomas Cook flew 45 per cent of The Gambia'southward 100,000 annual visitors from the Uk to the capital letter Banjul until it went into liquidation under the weight of its debts in September.

The gambia map pedophiles

In an sectional interview, Lamin Fatty, the National Coordinator of the Child Protection Alliance in The Republic of the gambia, reveals that both male and female tourists are targeting African minors.

He warns: "Sex activity is cheap in my country and children are being sold for equally fiddling as 150 dalasis, or simply over £2 in your currency. Some of the parents know their children are being abused and they take it because they are so desperate for nutrient in their bellies.

"Others are too naïve to realise. They think the Westerner is paying their bills and helping their boy or girl out of the kindness of their heart, while in reality they take bad intentions.

"Child abuse is going on all the fourth dimension in Republic of the gambia and the authorities is not doing enough to put a stop to it.

The Gambia pedophiles

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Two school-age girls play at the feet of two men, their mums nowhere in sight

"Our children are being approached directly on the beaches or the street and child abusers from all over Europe including the UK are coming here for this.

"I desire to brand clear that this does not simply involve men but also developed women who are paying for sex with teenage boys in The Gambia.

"We take laws that are supposed to cease this from happening but they are not being enforced so we have go a paradise for paedophiles."

Locals 'desperate' afterward Thomas Cook collapse

As tourism makes up 1-3rd of the country'southward Gross domestic product, there are fears that businesses will go bust and locals volition become hungry following an estimated 50 per cent drop in economic activity that has already hit beach resorts.

Lawyer and children's rights advocate Malick Jallow told Lord's day Online: "While some tourists will ever want to assist poor Gambians, others will see this situation every bit an opportunity to exploit immature children.

the gambia pedophiles britain

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Lamin Fat, National Coordinator of the Children's Protection Alliance, said this boy shouldn't be in a bar and so late at night, calculation: "We do not encourage physical affection with minors"

"The problem is that the abuse is sometimes carried out with the approval of the parents because they are and then in need.

"The perception is that white people, or 'toubabs' equally they phone call them, take stacks of cash and these parents are often excited that their child has attracted the attention of a white human being.

"It actually makes them feel proud so they give their permission for the boy or daughter to go with the person and when the law try to question them they will not co-operate."

'She didn't look comfy at all'

Former Thomas Melt rep Anne Heap, 53, from Wigan, said: "These people are every bit poor equally poor can be — it's rare to run across a child wearing shoes — and there isn't any other trade for them exterior tourism.

"Thomas Cook used to always give usa an extra 10kg luggage allowance and so the workers and passengers could bring assist boxes to The Republic of the gambia — basic things similar apparel, medicine and school equipment.

"The first thing I thought of when nosotros went under was, 'What is going to happen to people in The Gambia?' We were the but airline flying directly there.I've heard that offense has already shot up as at that place is not enough coin coming in — the hand that feeds them is gone.

"Sex activity tourism is already huge in The The gambia — some bars are like brothels — and I do worry that more than children volition get lured into prostitution to feed their families. When I was working there I would see erstwhile men walking with girls as young as 10, eleven or 12. There is a dark side to The The gambia.

"One fourth dimension when we were flight back to Manchester there was a British human being in his 70s with a girl who was only about eight or ix. This was about eight years ago. I was so concerned almost what was going on that I got chatting to him exterior the toilet during the flight. I wanted to speak to the girl too but she never left her seat, she didn't expect comfy at all. I reported information technology and border security later told me the man had been 'apprehended' just I was not able to find out what happened to him or the girl later on that."

Tots hand-in-hand with 'paedos'

Nosotros came beyond a number of tourists with young children in the West African resortCredit: My Story Media

There is no proof to advise that whatever of the men we pictured were paedophiles.

All the same the experts we showed our dossier of photos to said the law should have questioned them according to Gambian child protection laws.

Lamin Fatty said: "This does worry me considering, if the children are unaccompanied, they should not exist alone in tourist areas without their parents.

"It is besides forbidden for a child to exist in a bar then tardily at night and we do not encourage physical affection with minors.

"I piece of work with young girls and boys and I would non hug them or choice them up, it is non advisable."

Malick Jallow added: "I would accept questioned these men had I seen them myself. As a lawyer and an activist, I would desire to know if they have the authority to be caring for that child. We accept a lot of good Samaritans coming to The Gambia but we also have people who utilize charity every bit a front to hibernate their bad intentions.

"The security guards should take questioned these men just there is a culture of inferiority hither and they would accept been scared to challenge a wealthy Westerner."

British tourists can still wing to The gambia via Lisbon with the TAP airline or via Casablanca with Regal Air Maroc. There is too a express straight service run by 'The Gambia Experience' company and package deals can exist snapped upwardly for just over £500 a person.

Pensioners taking teens to hotels

Older British women are famed for holidaying in The Republic of the gambia, where some pick up African gigolosCredit: My Story Media

Wellness care assistant Lucy Mendy, 33, from Gloucester, was trying to enjoy a winter vacation in the land she has come up to see as a second habitation — simply says she was shocked by some of the things she had witnessed during her trip.

She said: "I've seen old men taking girls looking as immature as fifteen or 16-years-old to their hotel room.

"It made me feel sick and I wish I could have intervened, but this is not the Britain and I was scared what might have happened if I tried to confront them. People hither are then poor, some of them will do anything for money, even if it ways giving their bodies to a tourist."

Marjorie said the impact of Thomas Melt closing down was articulate to run into in the resort

Lucy'due south mum, pensioner Marjorie Botton, 68, also from Gloucester, added: "The plummet of Thomas Cook has hit people so hard.

"They are getting half every bit many British tourists and that ways they might not make enough money to become through the repose flavour, which starts in Apr."

Dutch tourist Corina Bouwman as well witnessed suspected kid abuse during her two week, wintertime vacation in December.

The social worker, 54, said: "I've seen a number of tiny African children walking around with large white men. On each occasion I thought, 'What is going on here? Where is the child'southward mother?' Just I didn't want to accuse anyone in case I had misread the situation."

'White men approach piffling boys and girls'

Father-of-four Abdullah Labamba, 48, runs a fruit stand up next to one of the many hotels that line Kololi'due south palm-tree fringed beach and says he has witnessed paedophiles targeting vulnerable child workers selling peanuts for less than £1 a purse.

the gambia pedophiles britain

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Fruit seller Abdullah Labamba, pictured, says paedos often target vulnerable kid workers selling peanuts

He said: "I've seen white men approach the little boys and girls right here on the beach. I do my all-time to stop them. "I tell the children, 'Get out of here, this is not a condom place for you.' The children will run away but they unremarkably come back. Information technology'south shocking."

"Their parents are desperate for money and they know they won't be allowed home until they have sold at to the lowest degree 5 bags. Some men try to take advantage of that by offer them £l for the whole basket. Then they will ask them to come back to get somewhere individual."

Child abuse scourge

Tragically, kid abuse is now endemic in Republic of the gambia, where 60 per cent of the ane.9m population live below the poverty line.

Previous research has shown that paedophiles often pose as charity workers and Adept Samaritans so they can befriend poor families — and UNICEF has warned that The Gambia is one of Africa's pinnacle destinations for child sexual activity tourism.

The Gambian government meanwhile has tried to crack down and in 2013 introduced new laws assuasive them to seize hotel properties if children are knowingly driveling on the premises.

They also pledged to requite out "hefty fines" and "stiff sentences" to paedophiles that are defenseless.

Just incredibly there has been only ane successful prosecution since laws were tightened and that human being ended up being pardoned past the president.

Svein Agesandakar pedophile gambia

Svein Agesandakar was jailed for sexual offences against children

Norwegian teacher Svein Agesandakar, 57, was found guilty of abusing 6 children, the youngest anile three, in 2006.

The courtroom heard how he had tricked his manner into a difficult-up Gambian family unit by posing as a do-gooder, giving the parents sacks of rice and new shoes in exchange for fourth dimension lonely with their large brood of six kids in a hotel room.

The paedophile had split convictions for child abuse in Norway but was sentenced to just 3 years in jail.

Then, in 2018 President Adama Barrow decided to pardon him for reasons that accept never been explained. The pardon was later revoked amidst a public outcry but experts fear his example has given a green light to other paedophiles.

ECPAT is the but child rights clemency that is solely focusing on ending the sexual exploitation of children.

Children in all countries of the world are at take chances of trafficking and prostitution, as well as online dangers such every bit grooming, sextortion and the proliferation of kid sexual abuse images.

In recent years, the travel and tourism sector has imperilled millions of children worldwide as travelling child sex offenders discover new victims.

To end these crimes, knowledge and evidence must be of the highest possible quality to inform decisions and guide action.

Predator free

In October last year an official UN investigation found that Gambia'due south tourist areas keep to be a dangerous identify for children and that predators at present stay in motels and private apartments so they tin can avoid prying optics.

United nations Special Rapporteur Maud de Boer-Buquicchio reported: "The rare instances when complaints are lodged with the police are non duly acted upon, the gathering of compelling evidence is delayed, and investigation and prosecution is stalled, resulting in victims or witnesses withdrawing their complaints.

"Some cases have likewise reportedly been dismissed on the grounds that statements past kid victims were allegedly inconsistent."

Our study comes later the UK regime was slammed for failing to protect children overseas from British predators.

A report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Corruption (IICSA) found more than needs to be washed to make sure offenders operating in poor countries like Republic of the gambia are caught and prosecuted.

Calling for a new national plan to tackle the trouble, Debbie Beadle, Director of Programmes at the child protection arrangement ECPAT Great britain, said: "We promise that past bringing these institutional failings to lite, the UK tin can become a earth leader in tackling the abuse of vulnerable children globally, and that child victims abroad are no longer 'nether the radar' of authorities.

Global manhunt for Aussie paedo monster Simon Gordon Davies who ran child sexual activity ring from charity gear up to 'help' homeless kids

End Child Prostitution and Trafficking - ECPAT is conducting main inquiry, also every bit bringing together information from diverse sectors and countries around the earth, to class a reliable and professional range of academic sources.The charity supports the protection of children and empowerment of 113 members in 98 countries - including The The gambia. You can donate to ECPAT here .