PAUL PRESTIDGE, PLYMOUTH'S RE-HABBED SEX OFFENDER, FINALLY JAILED AFTER FLEEING TO CAMBODIA
In a series of legal developments spanning from 2007 to 2016, Paul Prestidge, a former Scoutmaster and teacher from Plymouth, was ultimately incarcerated after fleeing the UK to Cambodia.His initial conviction in 2007 at Plymouth Crown Court resulted in a three-year prison sentence for possessing indecent images of children and voyeurism.
Throughout his crimes, Prestidge engaged in the creation and possession of child abuse images, including taking photos of young boys aged nine to eleven during camping trips on Dartmoor, where he coerced them to strip and urinated in front of him for sexual gratification.
Prestidge, who was widely trusted as a Scout leader and a teacher, was suspended from Austin Farm Primary School following police investigations.
He was subsequently stripped of his Queen’s Scout Award, awarded in 2000, and was disqualified from working with children for life.
His behavior included encouraging boys to remove their clothes under the guise of games like Sahara, which was an invention of his.
In May 2010, Prestidge falsely reported to Newquay police that he was heading to Spain for a short holiday with his family, claiming he would return the following month.
In reality, he purchased a one-way ferry ticket, traveled without returning, and worked as a teacher in Spain before moving to Cambodia in 2014, where he secured a position at Hope International School in Phnom Penh under the alias Paul Evans-Prestidge.
His activities abroad included teaching children in an international context and accompanying them on overnight trips.
Although authorities found no evidence of direct sexual contact during his time overseas, Prestidge admitted to providing false information to police, breaching the conditions of his sex offender notification requirements.
This led to an additional 18-month sentence handed down at Truro Crown Court on December 18 of the previous year.
In October 2015, Prestidge’s whereabouts became known when Cambodian authorities arrested him following information from the British Embassy.
He was detained near a private school in Phnom Penh where he was employed as an English teacher.
His arrest prompted discussions about his previous offenses, which included a 2007 conviction for bribing young boys to strip and possessing hundreds of child abuse images.
Due to his flight from the UK and failure to comply with notification rules, Prestidge had been on the UK’s most wanted list.
Upon his arrest, Cambodian police deported Prestidge back to the UK in October 2015.
He faced further sentencing related to his failure to return from Spain and for breaching the terms of his sex offender registration.
His crimes had significantly impacted local communities and the scouting movement, which he had betrayed.
In December 2015, he was sentenced at Truro Crown Court to three years in prison after pleading guilty to false travel information, with the court noting the deliberate nature of his evasion and employment in countries with lax checks, including in a school setting in Cambodia, where he also facilitated overnight trips involving children.
His multiple convictions highlight his long-term pattern of exploiting his trusted roles to commit offences against children.
Accordingly, his continued presence and employment abroad were seen as risks to children and the community, culminating in his deportation and eventual imprisonment in the UK.
Those familiar with Prestidge’s case emphasize the betrayal of the Scouting movement and warn of the wider implications for volunteer organizations and safeguarding efforts.
