Also: Child porn found inside yacht

Agency fears sex tourism in East Timor. 07/10/2003.

ABC News Online

[This is the print version of story <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s961068.htm>

Last Update: Tuesday, October 7, 2003. 5:15am (AEST)

Agency fears sex tourism in East Timor

The Australian Government is being urged to help prevent East Timor from becoming a child sex destination for tourists.

Last week a convicted Australian paedophile was arrested in East Timor after police found child pornography involving local children on his yacht.

Police charged 56-year-old Wilfred Mentink with illegally entering East Timor by defying a deportation order and he has been remanded in custody for 30 days while investigations continue.

Bernadette McMenamin, a director of the child protection agency Child Wise, says the East Timorese need technical and legal help to deal with paedophiles.

"This case definitely signals that East Timor is on paedophiles' radar," she said.

"We really need to support the East Timorese to put in place early warning systems to identify these travelling offenders and also to deter them and catch them if they get into the country."

Child porn found inside yacht

07oct03

A NORTHERN Territory man has been arrested in East Timor on child porn charges after travelling to the country by yacht.

He was allegedly found with nearly 40 items relating to child pornography.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said yesterday the man, Wilfred Jan Reinier Mentink, 56, first appeared in court in Dili on September 29 charged with entering East Timor without permission.

It is alleged he had travelled there on board his yacht.

The Northern Territory News understands Mentink was arrested by United Nations and East Timorese police again late last week when they searched his yacht, the Loris II, and allegedly found 38 items relating to child pornography.

These included photographs of East Timorese children, CDs and two laptop computers.

The DFAT spokeswoman said Mentink had been issued with an order refusing entry to the tiny nation in June.

"The man appeared in court on September 30 and was remanded in custody pending further investigation into allegations of possession of pornography," she said.

He was remanded in custody for 30 days. Bernadette McMenamin, director of child abuse watchdog Child Wise, said Mentink was jailed for six years in Queensland in 1993.

"The judge stated that Mentink should not be allowed near young males and children under any circumstances," Ms McMenamin said.

The Northern Territory News understands he moved to Darwin within the past 12 months.

© Queensland Newspapers

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