Nepal arrests two suspected French paedophiles

Two French nationals have been arrested in Nepal on suspicion of sexually abusing children, police said today.

Weak law enforcement appears to have made Nepal a favoured destination for paedophiles, with several arrests and convictions in recent years.

Police arrested the two men, aged 42 and 38, in Kathmandu on Sunday following a tip-off that they were luring children with chocolates, money and food.

"They were arrested after we followed them for a few days. So far eight of their victims have come forward," police spokesman Krishna Hari Sharma told AFP.

The alleged victims are aged between 10 to 14.

Police said one of the suspects had been previously convicted in France for sexual assault on minors and possession of images of child abuse. "They have both been remanded in police custody on paedophilia charges as we investigate further," Sharma said.

Records showed that both were in Nepal on a second visit and had been staying in the capital for several months.

Last week a Swiss man was arrested for allegedly abusing a 16-year-old boy.

Former UN official Peter Dalglish is currently on trial in Nepal on charges of sexually abusing young boys.

Sexual abuse of minors carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison. In December 2010, French charity worker Jean-Jacques Haye was convicted of raping 10 children in a Kathmandu orphanage.