Julian2 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Wrongfully jailed man finally meets son A former pilot wrongfully imprisoned on child sex tourism charges has been united with his seven-year-old son for the first time. Fred Martens, 62, was sentenced in 2006 to three years' jail after being convicted in the Cairns Supreme Court of raping a 14-year-old girl in Papua New Guinea. He was released in 2009, having spent nearly 1000 days in custody, after supporters obtained PNG flight records proving he couldn't have been with the girl around the time of the alleged offence. Australian authorities had said the flight records did not exist. Mr Martens finally met his son Lee, born three weeks after his arrest, at Cairns Airport on Tuesday. Lee had until recently lived on the Woodlark Islands, a seven-day dinghy ride from the PNG mainland. Mr Martens, who has been advised not to leave Australia, has another three children living in PNG. A tearful Mr Martens told reporters it was a remarkable feeling to finally meet his child. "There's no words for it, no words," he said. Mr Martens said he was in the process of getting his other children to Australia. "I'll get them all home, don't you worry. It might take a while, but I'll get them all home," he said. Mr Martens is suing the Australian government for $45 million over his ordeal. He claims a number of businesses, properties and equipment in PNG were lost because of his imprisonment in Australia. They include Pioneer Health Services, the country's flying doctor service, which was founded by Mr Martens, as well as engineering and construction firms and a security firm. http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/wrongfully-jailed-man-finally-meets-son-20111206-1ogov.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 What a strange story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted December 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 The guy was busted under the Australian Crimes (Child Sex Tourism) Amendment Act 1994 which means kiddie fiddlers can be charged in their own country for pedophilia overseas. The problem is, as in this case, some government official in the child's country can give up someone he doesn't like and it's game over. In this guy's case, the Australian police built their case against Martens then ignored (or concealed) evidence he wasn't in PNG at the time of the offenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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