Australian Man Arrested in Chiang Mai for Possessing Child Pornography

Police in the northern province of Chiang Mai have arrested a 60 year-old Australian man for being in possession of child pornography. Chiang Mai police went to his house after receiving a search warrant on the 15th May.

Chiang Mai Police said they received a tip from an anonymous source that Mr. Wayne Jeffory McCullough, 60, was in possession of child pornography. Upon arrival, they met Mr. McCullough who confirmed that it was his home.

Police seized a mobile phone and also a tablet, both containing a large amount of child pornography.

Mr. McCullough confessed that the seized items belonged to him. He also confessed the pornography on the devices belong to him. Police also discovered an email account in his name which he used to distribute the pornography. They also found his Twitter account  “Wayne @WJM_Global” which he used to distribute pornography. 

Thailand amended the Criminal Code in 2015 to include the possession, distribution and production of child pornography as a criminal offense. It also increased the penalty to a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment and Bt200,000 fine.

Possession, distribution of child pornography

Mr. McCullough was charged with possession, distribution of child pornography and for computer crimes. The computer crimes offence is a separate charge.  All confiscated items sent Investigation officers in Chiang Mai province for further prosecution.  Thai media did not divulge if Australian man was released on bail or not.

In November of 2019, Police in Chiang Mai arrested the administrator of a child pornography website after tracking him down to a condo in this northern province.

Chiang Mai police and the Thailand Internet Crimes against Children (Ticac) unit apprehended Korakot Chulthong at a condo on Thung Hotel Road in Muang district, police announced on Saturday.

They also seized three mobile phones, a laptop computer, two portable drives, some bank books and ATM cards.

The arrest followed public complaints that a group on the VK social-media platform was distributing video clips featuring sexual acts between Thai children and foreigners.

This group allegedly had 800 members and more than 200,000 followers.