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Aust assault accuser flees Cambodia

A British man who filed charges of assault against an Australian in Cambodia has reportedly fled to the UK amid fears his life was in danger.

A British man allegedly assaulted and robbed in Cambodia by Australian Guido James Eglitis has reportedly fled to the UK in fear of his life.

David Scotcher, 66, the British director of Cambodia-based education company Learn4Life, filed a complaint against 68-year-old Eglitis and New Zealander Brett Michael Hastie, 44, on September 29.

After searching for the pair for nearly a month, Cambodian police arrested Eglitis, formerly of Warrnambool in Victoria, and Hastie last weekend in the provincial city of Siem Reap.

They have been charged with theft under aggravated circumstances and are being held in a pre-trial detention centre at the Siem Reap provincial prison.

Mr Scotcher is reported to have fled Cambodia to Britain after the two men threatened to kill him if he informed Cambodian police.

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In 2007, Eglitis had been committed to stand trial in Brisbane after a magistrate ruled there were grounds to potentially convict him for attacking businessman Ronald Sydney Ryton-Benson.

The outstanding charges include kidnapping, deprivation of liberty, robbery, impersonating an officer and possessing restricted items.

Eglitis' detention in Cambodia may result in him being extradited to Australia to face the earlier charges.


2 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP



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