HEAD LINE NEWS

EASTBOURN HERALD SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1995

AN EASTBOURNE man has denied allegations he arranged package holidays for Britons who want to have sex with child prostitutes in the Fare East.

Michael Clarke, of Paradise Express, was secretly filmed by television cameras in Eastbourne discussing the opportunities for men to have sex with girls as young as 11 in the Philippines.

He was caught on camera talking to a charity worker posing as a client in the offices of In Flight in Cavendish Place, Eastbourne, whose shocked partners and staff have strenuously denied any knowledge of what Mr. Clarke’s holidays involved.

But yesterday (Friday) Mr. Clarke told the Herald he had been “tricked” by TV reporters, saying, “My main concern was selling holidays, not sex. I deny I offered them underage girls for sex.

The revelations have led to a campaign by pressure groups calling for men who sexually abuse children abroad to be prosecuted when they return home.

The Paedophile scandal centers on Mr. Clarke, who lives with his mother in Willingdon Park Drive. He is a director of Paradise Express, which arranges adult holidays in Angeles City in the Philippines.

An advertisement in a national magazine offers adults a “fantasy island holiday in the ultimate Adult Disney World” and asks interested people to contact IN Flight for one of Paradise Express’ “electrifying” free brochures.

But this week Mr. Clarke was caught on camera apparently arranging for Britons to have sex with under aged girls during their trip abroad.

In two special reports on ITN’s News at Ten this week, an under cover charity worker, posed as a pedophile and secretly filmed and recorded a meeting with Mr. Clarke as he offered to arrange for them to have sex with 11-year old girls through a women he knows in the Philippines.

When the under cover investigator met Mr. Clarke in a Filipino club, he saw young girls offering themselves for sale and the travel agent said he could get even younger girls for him to have sex with.

Danny Smith who worked on the under cover operation, said he was shocked travel agents in Britain were offering sex with children as enticement for tours they were selling.

He is a director of Jubilee Campaign, which, with Christian Aid, is calling for laws, which already exist in other European countries, to be brought into force here.

“Thousands of children are trapped in sexual slavery all over the world,” said Mr. Smith. “These kids are held as slaves to the demand of the tourist industry.

Tourists and the tourist industry are demanding younger and younger children”.

Confronted

When confronted by the ITN reporter in the Philippines this week Mr. Clarke said he was “trying to encourage tourism in the Philippines” and they were “lovely girls.” He refused to answer any more questions and when the Herald called at his family home on Thursday morning, Mr Clarke’s mother said her son was away.

Staff at In Flight’ said they were shocked to discover Mr Clarke was involved in encouraging men I this country to have sex with children abroad and were disassociating them selves from Paradise Express.

Patricia Jenkins and Karen Farrow, partners of In Flight, said in a statement, “In April 1995 we were requested by Michael Clarke of Paradise Express to arrange flights for his customers wishing to take holidays to the Philippines as arrange by Paradise Express.

Brochures

“In accordance with our usual practice we agreed to distribute brochures to enquirers and to book flights for holidays.

“At no time did we place advertisements for Mr Clarke’s holidays, nor were we aware he had used our name other than in his brochure. Mr Clarke is not a travel agent with In Flight and he has no interest in our business.

“ITN”s News at Ten, transmitted on Tuesday, contained an allegation that Mr Clarke has been promoting holiday’s inn the Philippines to include opportunities for sex with children.

“ We were unaware of any such allegation prior to the Transmission by News at Ten. We are forthwith severing all contact with Mr. Clarke and Paradise Express”.

Statement

In a statement yesterday Mr Clarke said, “Two Men (Adam Holloway and Martin Cottingham) contacted Paradise Express asking if it was possible to have two girls at a time with special preference towards young girls.

I told him that anything was possible if he had money but the working girls in the Philippines are all legal and over the age of 18.

He then bombarded me with phone calls day and night. Sometimes I was suffering from fatigue, they were all leading questions about the same subject.

My main concern was to sell holiday as advertising my colour brochure.

I denied offering him for sex if I did say anything on that effect it would have been due to proving, leading questions and aided of a few drinks in tropical climate, men’s talked gets exaggerated.

Swear

He added I have never been engage in any business of under age girls or drug.

“ I am trying to encourage tourism and have full of approval of Angeles City to promote tourism. I am now making a film title the nicer side of the Philippines”

Details of Mr. Clarke business dealing now have been pass to the police and Social Services in the Philippines. But back home campaigners are urging people to back a Bill to be considered by the MP’s in the house of common this summer.