Tom Jeffries arrested in Cambodia over a ‘twister-style sex game’ party
A Briton arrested in Cambodia over a ‘twister-style sex game’ party has told of his relief after being kicked out of the country and sent home.
Tom Jeffries, 22, told of his ordeal as he had to shave his long ginger hair to protect from head lice while he was held in tough Siem Reap prison.
Mr Jeffries, from Fareham, Hampshire, was arrested with nine more revellers at a ‘Let’s Get Wet Party’ in a private villa in Siem Reap, a town near the ancient temples of Angkor Wat.
He was told he could face a year behind bars in the foreign country.
Meanwhile his father Gary and the rest of the family were thousands of miles away back home worried about him.
Speaking for the first time since his release, he MailOnline: ‘I’m very pleased to be back in the UK and I’d like to thank my family and friends for their tremendous support during this recent ordeal.
‘I’d been in Cambodia for two years. I love the country and greatly respect the people and the culture.
‘I didn’t know that attending a social pool-side event, which happen almost every day in Siem Reap, would be offensive to the Cambodian culture and I sincerely apologise to anyone who was (offended). I meant no disrespect to the Cambodian people. I completely deny the charges made against me.’
Police in Cambodian released this image claiming to tourists at a party – but the families say the picture is five years old – and not at the villa party Mr Jeffries was attending
Footage from a similar ‘Let’s Get Wet Party’ shows the kind of behaviour that took place
The villa in Siem Reap with a pool where the alleged lewd party was held close to the sacred Angkor Wat site
Rubbish was strewn all over the villa garden after police raided the party last month and arrested Mr Jeffries and nine others
Mr Jeffries was released on bail, his passport was returned and he was advised that he was free to leave the country of his own volition last Friday. He arrived back in the UK the following day.
His father, Gary added: ‘Tom was released on bail, his passport was returned and he was advised that he was free to leave the country. He left the country of his own volition on Friday, arriving back in the UK on Saturday.’
Tom was one of four Brits deported including Paul Harris, 32, Vince Hook, 35, and Billy Stevens, 21, although charges against them still stand.
The alleged partner organiser Dan Jones, 30, is believed to have been kept in Cambodia along with two Canadians, a Norwegian, a New Zealander and a Dutch national.
The eight men arrested had their heads shaved to prevent an outbreak of lice while being held in Siam Reap prison (above)
The group were held in Siem Reap prison as they awaited trial and were told that they could be jailed for a year
All ten of those arrested including Mr Jeffries (second from the left) lined up looking glum following their arrest
They had all been arrested two weeks ago by police who raided their pool bash at a private villa in the city, flanking Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat temple ruins.
Mr Jeffries, pictured at home in Fareham, Hants, has told of his relief to have been freed
They were among 77 party-goers rounded up and accused ‘pornographic dancing’.
They all deny the allegations, saying that they were wearing ‘sexy clothing’, but they were not nude and had not produced pornography.
Those left behind face up to a year in prison over producing pornographic pictures and materials.
A prosecutor accused party organisers of circulating obscene images online to promote the event.
Jones is said to have organised three pub crawls a week inviting 100 people to pay £5 a head for the crawl and for drinks at his private home.
Another freed Brit, Paul Harris, 32, was manager at the Angkor Wat pub where the events began. The events have been permanently cancelled.