Briton, 72, convicted of 9 counts of child abuse in Kilifi case

British pensioner, Keith Morris, has been convicted for sexually abusing children in Kenya. PHOTO | COURTESY | NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY

A British pensioner has been convicted for sexually abusing children in Kenya.

Keith Morris, 72, was tried in a British court following an investigation by United Kingdom's National Crime Agency (NCA) and Kenyan authorities.

He was convicted of nine counts of child abuse in the Kilifi child sex case.

“NCA worked in partnership with the Kenya's National Police Service to investigate 72-year-old Keith Morris, after another British national staying in Kenya reported his inappropriate behaviour with children,” said a statement by the British High Commission in Nairobi.

It added: “He befriended vulnerable families in Kenya, and then abused their children. He has been convicted of nine child abuse offences in the UK, demonstrating that there is no escaping justice.”

He will be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on July 17 this year.

VULNERABLE

Investigators revealed that Morris had been visiting a rural village in Kilifi County where, under the pretext of supporting local families with household goods, clothing and education, he preyed on vulnerable children.

During a three-week trial in the Leeds Crown Court in the UK, young victims gave evidence through a live video link from Mombasa.

One of the victims told the court Morris, who was known to her as Mozzy, had done “bad things” to her when they were staying at a hotel. The victim said he then told her she would be in trouble if she informed anyone about it.

The jury was told how Morris tried to interfere with the case by threatening witnesses to not give evidence and attempting to influence his Kenyan associates.

Mr Graham Ellis, NCA operations manager, said: “Keith Morris spent many years integrating himself into the local community in Kenya, making him a trusted figure to people that lived there. He then abused this trust in the worst possible way.”

“Not only did he abuse and defile vulnerable children but he attempted to manipulate and bribe them into helping him prove his innocence.”

Mr Ellis said the Kenya’s Child Protection Unit played a significant role in bringing to justice the British sex offender.
“Travelling sex offenders like Morris think that by conducting their abuse elsewhere in the world, they won’t get caught. However, borders are not a barrier,” said Mr Ellis.