British men jailed for gay abuse of children in India

By Benjamin Cohen • March 19, 2006 - 0:00

The pair abused boys in a shelter they had set-up

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Two British men have been jailed for six years in India after they were found guilty of abusing boys at a children's shelter that one of the pair had set-up in Bombay.

The court found Duncan Grant, a charity worker, and Allan Waters guilty of child sex abuse and engaging in unnatural acts with children. They were sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of £20,000 each.

The court, whose decision was reached by a single judge, P.S. Paranjape also found an Indian, William D'souza guilty of aiding and abetting the crime. He was received a fine of £60 and a custodial sentence of three years.

"The judgment should go some way to ensure that India is wiped out from the map of people who indulge in sexual abuse of children," said Judge Paranjape, who also announced the formation of a committee to decide how the fines could be used to rehabilitate the victims.

"One of the objectives before the court is to make the accused feel the pinch economically, and the other is that compensation should help rehabilitate the victims," he added.

Grant, 61, from north London has been held in custody since June 2005 when he arrived from Britain and handed himself over to a Bombay court. An international arrest warrant was issued in 2002.

Grant, was arrested in Tanzania on similar charges two years ago. Waters, 58, was arrested in New York on as a result of an Interpol warrant and was extradited from the USA.

Homosexual sex was criminalized in India during British colonial rule in 1861.

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