BI to deport convicted British pedophile

FILE: Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente (PNA Photo)

MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport a British national who was convicted of attempting to meet and have sex with a girl in the United Kingdom (UK) two years ago.

According to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, Mark Christopher Wyatt, 42, was arrested by members of the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU) at his home along Quezon Ave. in Camiling, Tarlac on December 8.

He said that British authorities had sought the arrest of the convict after learning that he had fled the UK in violation of his parole or for “breaching a supervision order and notification requirements”.

“We will send him back to the UK where he will be returned to prison because he left the country during his period of supervision,” the BI chief said.

“Being a convicted child sex offender, his continued presence here poses a real threat to Filipino children anyone of whom could be his next victim,” Morente further said.

On the other hand, FSU chief Bobby Raquepo said that Wyatt arrived in the country more than a year ago.

He said the Briton was placed on the bureau’s wanted list last May after UK’s National Crime Agency, through the British embassy in Bangkok, alerted the BI about his presence in the country.

The embassy said that Wyatt was convicted in March 2015 for attempting to meet a 16-year-old after grooming and sending her pictures of his private parts.

The foreigner reportedly left the UK on Nov. 3 last year after claiming to police authorities there that he had a girlfriend in the Philippines.

He had a return ticket dated Dec. 2, 2016 but was a no-show in his return flight.