British national booked for alleged sexual abuse of boy

A 65-year old British national, funding a children's home in the district, has been booked by police for alleged sexual abuse of a teenaged boy inmate, police said today.

A case under IPC section 377 (unnatural sex) was registered yesterday against Jonathan Robinson, who has been absconding since the past two weeks, a day after the 15-year old boy was rescued from the home at Chinnamalpuram in Valliyoor, police said.

The case was registered on a complaint by Singaram, a Bangalore-based social worker, they said.

The home with 33 inmates was being run by the Grail Trust, which was being funded by Robinson, police said adding a case would be registered against the home also if necessary after further investigation.

The boy, rescued in the wee hours of August 19, had admitted he was sexually abused by Jonathan. "Jonathan even tried to take me abroad. He has fled India and was now in Germany," Police sources quoted the boy as having told them.

The fatherless poor boy was handed over to the district Child Welfare Committee's reception unit "Saranalayam".

The committee members told police that the boy had been abused several times in the past 7-8 months.