Police in Herefordshire have today (Sunday, 14 July) charged a man with a number of sexual offences which are believed to have happened in Africa.
Officers employed rarely used legislation, which allows UK nationals to be prosecuted in the UK for sexual offences committed abroad, to charge Simon Harris of Pudleston, Leominster, with attempted rape and sexual activity with a child.
The charges were made under Section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and are in connection with offences alleged to have taken place against two children in Kenya.
Harris, aged 54 (DOB 29/04/1959), was arrested yesterday at his home address following a joint West Mercia Police and CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) operation earlier this week in the African state, which is still ongoing.
The operation came about as a direct result of information given to CEOP by a team from Channel 4 News. The team alerted authorities in the UK after an investigation in Kenya earlier this year, which revealed a number of allegations.
Harris is due to appear before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Monday, 15 July).