Married British teacher, 49, is arrested in Thailand over ‘sexual abuse of at least four

A married British teacher has been arrested over the alleged sexual abuse of girls aged between seven and eight at a top private school in Bangkok.

David Brown, 49, from Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, allegedly lured the children into his office during dinner breaks for extra English lessons.

However, he is said to have performed sex acts on at least four different children over an unknown period of time at the Siam International School in Pathum Thani, on the outskirts of the capital.

A shocked teacher at the £6,600-a-year school only discovered the alleged abuse when she claimed to have overheard girls in the classroom talking about what Brown had done to them.

Brown was arrested on Wednesday morning, January 24, at 6am in front of his horrified wife. He collapsed and was taken to hospital before being discharged and questioned at the police station at 1pm.

Police are now investigating how long the alleged abuse was going on and how many other children were attacked.

He had worked at the school since at least September 2017.

Speaking today, Police Colenal Jirawat Piampinseth confirmed the accusations, and the name and identity of Brown, who he said was in a cell a few yards away.

The policeman, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘The suspect has been living in Thailand for seven or eight years. He started working at the school in 2017.

‘Parents of four children have filed complaints claiming that Brown took the children to his office to teach them English and then sexually abused them.

‘When the parents found out about this, David was stressed and didn’t sleep at night.

‘He was arrested the next morning at 6am at his home and he fainted, so he was taken to the Pathumvet Hospital. He arrived at the police station at 1pm.

‘David’s wife acted as an interpreter… He has been detained in a cell at the station while the investigation continues.’

Brown is understood to have a young daughter with his Thai wife, Toey Srisangar, who accompanied him to the police station. She is seen in the video translating the police complaints for him.

Brown is seen in pictures and video from the Thanyaburi Provincial Police Station wearing a blue t-shirt, green hat, and a white face mask.

The alleged abuse is said to have been uncovered by a teacher at the school, which charges parents up to 300,000 Thai baht (£6,600) a year in fees.

The school headmistress said that when the conversation was overheard, the pupils were immediately questioned.

Police were informed and told the school that the parents must file complaints against the teacher. Brown was later arrested when the parents of four girls made complaints.

If charged and convicted, Brown faces up to 10 years in prison.

A mother of an eight-year-old girl who is one of the alleged victims told local media that she is ‘furious’.

She said: ‘I am very angry but also shocked and I feel sorry for the children.’

A second parent of another alleged victim said their eight-year-old daughter had been studying at the school for five years.

He said: ‘My daughter was under the care of David. I only found out about this yesterday when the school informed me.

A horrified father of a girl at the school, who was not one of the four alleged victims that have made complaints, told local television that his daughter ‘was close to David’.

He said: ‘My daughter started at the school when she was three years old and is now around five years old.

‘My daughter was under the care of this teacher. She was under the care of several teachers but she was close to this one.

‘I can’t believe it. It’s unfair, and I can’t believe that such a thing has happened.

‘When a Thai teacher learned about it, they were shocked and discussed it with the headmaster, who was also shocked.’

The school has been contacted by phone and they declined to comment.

A receptionist said: ‘The director will have a meeting and decide next week if they will release a statement.’

Brown is due to appear in court tomorrow.

An FCDO spokesperson said: ‘We are in contact with the Thai authorities regarding the arrest of a British man in Thailand.’