Five-year investigation finally led to offender’s capture in Thailand in September last year
PUBLISHED : 25 Jul 2023 at 18:56
A former children’s entertainer extradited from Thailand to the United Kingdom was jailed on Monday for 30 years for multiple sex offences involving children.
McKee, who is originally from Wallasey Village on Merseyside in the UK, was found and arrested in Thailand in September 2022 by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) before being extradited to stand trial in Liverpool.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, the CIB commissioner, told the Bangkok Post following the sentencing that the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom had worked closely with the CIB in arresting and securing McKee’s extradition.
“It was a big crime case in the UK. All foreign suspects fleeing to Thailand will be arrested and deported [like McKee],” he said.
McKee was found guilty in Liverpool Crown Court last month and jailed on Monday for 30 years with a further four years on extended licence.
“The offences McKee committed were truly horrific and spanned a number of years and victims,” said Detective Constable Graeme Beacall of Merseyside Police said.
“Our investigation commenced in 2017 when his victims first came forward. At that time McKee had moved out of the UK and was confirmed to be living in Thailand but at no point did he return to the UK to assist with our lengthy and prolonged inquiries.
“When the charges against him were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service the extradition process was initiated. McKee was located and arrested by Royal Thai Police in September 2022 and spent a period on remand in Bangkok before being returned to the UK.
“He then chose to prolong his victims’ agony by pleading not guilty and forcing them to suffer the ordeal of a trial.
“Thankfully today, due to the courage of the victims, justice has been served and he will now serve a considerable period of time behind bars. I hope that McKee’s conviction and sentence will provide a sense of closure for his victims and finally allow them to move on with their lives.
“This case has proven that time and distance is no barrier to justice and that we will do everything within our powers to find the people responsible for committing crimes such as this and bringing them to justice, even when they attempt to flee to other countries.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the National Crime Agency and the Royal Thai Police for their assistance in bringing McKee to justice.”
Dave Coyle, the National Crime Agency’s regional manager for Thailand said: “McKee believed he could evade justice by fleeing the UK, but thanks to the joint work between Merseyside Police, the NCA’s international network, the Royal Thai Police and the Thai Attorney General’s Office, he was located, arrested and extradited to the UK, and we are pleased he has been brought to justice for his crimes.”