MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport a convicted British pedophile wanted by authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) for failing to report his whereabouts in the past two years.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Leslie Charles Russon, 52, was arrested in Sitio Campaog, Bgy. Pitalo, San Fernando, Cebu by operatives from the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU) on Friday.
“We will deport him for posing a risk to Filipino children whom he might victimize while he continues to remain in the country,” the BI chief said in a statement Monday.
The British national is a registered sex offender who was obliged by the court to periodically notify authorities about his location and address.
But, Russon stopped complying with the notification requirements in September 2015 when he fled to the Philippines and did not return to the UK since then.
Morente added that UK’s National Crime Agency officials have sought Russon’s deportation, and warned that the latter had no intention of returning to the UK, thus, his continued presence here poses a risk to children.
On the other hand, FSU chief Bobby Raquepo said a British court convicted and sentenced Russon to seven years in prison in 1993 for molesting three boys who were under 16 years of age.
He added the foreigner frequently traveled back and forth to the Philippines after serving his sentence.
“When he is in the UK he would register and report his presence to the authorities but he would travel back to the Philippines afterwards,” said the BI intelligence officer.
Russon last traveled from the UK to Cebu on Sept. 23, 2015 and presented upon his arrival a return ticket dated Dec. 21 of the same year. He did not board the said flight. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
