Canadian sex crimes suspect pleads not guilty in Thailand
A Canadian man pleaded not guilty in a Bangkok court Friday to charges of molesting underage children in Thailand, said a report.
Christopher Paul Neil was also charged with depriving children of parental care and restraint of freedom. He must return to court on March 10 to stand trial, said Reuters.
The 32-year-old British Columbia man appeared in court wearing shackles and a prison uniform, media reports said.
Neil is trying to get a lawyer to handle his case, said his brother, Matthew Neil, on Friday.
Matthew Neil said his brother has been in contact with a couple of lawyers and that the Canadian embassy in Thailand has also been helping with efforts to get legal counsel.
He said his brother has written to say he remains positive and passes the time in custody by reading books and working out.
Christopher Neil became the subject of an international police manhunt after Interpol released his photo, alleging he sexually abused young boys in southeast Asia.
German police reconstructed digitally altered photos of a man that had been posted on the internet.
He was arrested in rural Thailand two weeks after Interpol launched its appeal.
Neil faces up to 20 years in prison if he's convicted.
With files from the Canadian Press