Volunteer jailed (From Times Series)

Volunteer jailed

6:31pm Wednesday 20th February 2008

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A VOLUNTEER worker from Harpenden found guilty of sexually abusing a toddler will serve four years in a Ghanaian prison, a court has ruled.

Thomas Tichler of Redbourn Lane denied the allegations, but was jailed on Tuesday for causing harm and indecently assaulting the three-year-old girl while looking after her and two other children as a favour to a business associate.

The distraught family of the 57-year-old, who have protested his innocence throughout this ordeal, have been left devastated by the news and have vowed to appeal against the court's decision.

Mr Tony Lithur, one of Mr Tichler's lawyers, told the media he would get the appeal process rolling immediately.

Mr Tichler's son James, speaking on behalf of the family, said: "We are shocked and saddened by this miscarriage of justice and remain wholly unified in our support of Tom.

"We will begin the appeals process as soon as possible and are confident that justice will be served in due course."

The assault occurred on October 13 last year, just two weeks into Mr Tichler's three month visit to Ghana to work with Voluntary Service Overseas as a consultant for a micro finance project, helping deprived people develop business enterprises.

A circuit court in the Ghanaian capital Accra heard how the married father-of-three assaulted the toddler while babysitting her and two elder siblings at their home in North Legon.

The judge sentenced the ex-banker to a four year prison term on the charge of causing harm and two years for indecently assaulting the victim.

Sentences will run concurrently and conviction took effect from November 2, 2007 when the accused was arrested and remanded in custody.

Meanwhile, Sabine Zanker of Fair Trials International insisted Mr Tichler should still be afforded the presumption of innocence while an appeal is underway.

"A court has decided he has committed a crime but he continues to protest his innocence and any reporting should reflect that," she said.

She also insisted that despite being moved from the decrepit James Fort Prison in Accra - now closed after being declared a death trap by inspectors - Mr Tichler still faced a difficult time ahead in jail.

She pointed out: "I think the conditions will be better than the jail he stayed at before but it's not pleasant to stay at any prison in the world with charges like these.

"Prisoners accused of these sorts of crimes are always at the bottom of the ranking order within the prison community."

The family have asked for the media to respect their privacy at this distressing time.

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