British tourist arrested in Namibia over nude photos of children

A British national has been arrested in Namibia for allegedly sexually molesting minors and taking nude photographs of them.

Douglas Robert Brook is also accused of touching the children's private parts while on a holiday in central Namibia.

Police said the suspect targeted young boys and girls from the indigenous San community in the central Otjozondjupa region.

The 65-year old Briton faces 38 charges, including rape, indecent assault and child exploitation, Namibia local media reported.

The British national, who arrived in Namibia last week for a holiday, is yet to respond to the charges.

He was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly lured 34 young children with sweets and money to take their photos while they were naked.

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Maureen Mbeha, a regional police boss, told state media that the tourist sexually abused 16 teenage girls and 14 boys.

Some of the nude photographs of the children were reportedly found on the Briton's camera, which was confiscated by police after his arrest.

He appeared in the Grootfontein Magistrate court, north of the capital, Windhoek, on Tuesday where he was denied bail and remanded in custody, the Namibia Press Agency reported.

The case was postponed to next month after the state prosecutor requested more time for investigations.

"The tourist remains in police custody," Information Minister Emma Theofelus told the BBC.

The UK embassy in Namibia said it had "no information beyond what has been reported in the media".

In a statement, the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism said the actions were "deeply disrespectful to the cultural heritage of the San community".

"It is unacceptable for any visitor, foreign or local, to exploit or objectify indigenous communities or their children for any purpose, including photography," the ministry said in a statement cited by Informanté newspaper.

The southern African country is a popular tourism destination for its breath-taking desert landscapes and rich cultural heritage.