WA man accused of assaulting Thai girls

A 90-year-old man from Western Australia charged with assaulting four underage girls
in northern Thailand will seek bail when he appears in court on Wednesday.
Karl Joseph Kraus was detained by police at his residence in Doi Saket district,
20km east of Chiang Mai on Tuesday after the filing of an official complaint by
local residents.
Parents of four girls lodged the complaint accusing Kraus, a long-time resident of
Thailand, of sexually assaulting girls aged seven to 14 years, reports said.
The Bangkok Post newspaper reported that local parents had alleged Kraus used sweets
to lure the girls to go to his house on several occasions between July 17, 2008 and
June 14, 2010.
But sources in Chiang Mai close to the case told AAP that Kraus has denied the
allegations. Kraus also claims he was in Australia at the time of one of the alleged
assaults.
Kraus was initially taken to Chiang Mai Police station but officers later
transferred him to a local hospital in Chiang Mai rather than hold him at the local
police cells.
Police also searched Kraus' residence. A maid at the home also alleged Kraus had
forwarded homemade pornographic videos to recipients in a foreign country.
Police are reported to be charging Kraus with filing a false statement with the
Australian Embassy accusing Thai police of attempting to extort money from him.
Australian Embassy officials in Bangkok were expected to provide Kraus with consular
assistance but had no comment to the media.



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