'We are in pieces and don't know what to do': Mother of one of five British men facing a year in Cambodian jail over Twister-style 'sex position game' defends son as backpackers insist they are NOT in photos

  • EXCLUSIVE: Britons arrested and charged for 'producing pornographic images'
  • Police found them at a villa in the tourist hotspot of Siem Reap on Thursday
  • Pictures show a group of what appears to be tourists engaged in party games
  • A member of the group said none of those arrested were in the photographs
  • Another said they were 'trying to keep a good vibe until we know the outcome'
  • The mother of one of the men told MailOnline she was 'in pieces' at the news 

The mother of one of five Britons among a group of ten people charged in Cambodia over a Twister-style 'sex position game' says she is 'in pieces' after speaking to him on the phone from his prison cell.

The group was arrested on Thursday at a rented villa in the tourist hotspot of Siem Reap and last night charged with producing pornographic pictures of scantily clad couples in racy positions and sharing them online.  

The detained group also includes Canadian citizen Eden Kazoleas, 19, who was described by her aunt as  'a very, very good kid' who doesn't drink or smoke.   

Speaking from her home in Wadhurst, East Sussex, Marci Harbour, 47, mother of Billy Stevens 21, told MailOnline: 'We are just in pieces, and the frustrating part is that we don't really know what to do.

'My son had been working so wanted to go out and spend his money like any other young man. He had become good friends with the group he was with, as you do when you are travelling together.'

It came as the five British men charged insisted they were 'innocent', claiming they are not even pictured in the 'pornographic dancing' pictures. 

It has also been suggested by the mother of another of those charged that those arrested were pressured into a confession by the Khmer authorities.

The five Britons among a group of five people charged in Cambodia over a Twister-style 'sex position game' include Daniel Jones, 30
Billy Stevens, 21, arrested in Cambodia over a Twister-style 'sex positions' game

The five Britons among a group of five people charged in Cambodia over a Twister-style 'sex position game' include Daniel Jones, 30, (left, with an unknown woman) and Billy Stevens, 21

Vincent Hook, 35, who is one of the men arrested by police after a raid on a villa in the tourist hotspot of Seim Reap

Vincent Hook, 35, who is one of the men arrested by police after a raid on a villa in the tourist hotspot of Seim Reap

Among those detained was Eden Kazoleas (pictured), 20, from Drayton Valley, near Edmonton, Alberta. Her aunt, Donna Kazoleas, said the detentions were 'really, really concerning'
Among those detained was Eden Kazoleas (pictured), 20, from Drayton Valley, near Edmonton, Alberta. Her aunt, Donna Kazoleas, said the detentions were 'really, really concerning'

Among those detained was Eden Kazoleas (pictured), 20, from Drayton Valley, near Edmonton, Alberta. Her aunt, Donna Kazoleas, said the detentions were 'really, really concerning'

Police released these pictures which they claim show the tourists. However, Guy Harris, the father of one of the men arrested, claims these are five years old
Police released these pictures of the tourists

Police released these pictures which they claim show the tourists. However, a member of the group currently being held insists do not show any of those arrested

Pictures posted on social media show Mr Stevens lying on a bean bag surrounded by three women with their legs wrapped around him and another man.

His mother said: 'He was doing nothing wrong, just having a good time and a drink. That's what he said when I managed to speak to him on the phone.

'The embassy has been in touch and we are hearing more from them tomorrow. It is terrible to think of him being stuck out there and completely innocent.'

In a separate interview with the Daily Mail, she said: 'We’re all devastated by this. It's dreadful.

'I've managed to speak to him but he's had his phone taken off him now. We've been advised not to say anything at the moment because obviously they’re out there and we don't want to make it worse for them. There's a lot of us parents on it and I'm in touch with them but it's difficult.'    

Another mother, whose nationality is not known, claimed the men were told to sign court documents in the Khmer language without the help of a translator.

She said she had lost contact with her son by Sunday afternoon and was trying to liaise with the parents of others in the group for further news.

She said: 'They are scared out of their brains. They just did what they were told in the hope they (Khmer authorities) would say "oh, well we'll get you all to sign these papers and nothing will happen". They've signed these papers not knowing what they are.'

Police posted a picture of the ten defendants lined up outside court, dressed in casual summer clothing. The photo is understood to include Britons Billy Stevens (left), Paul Harris (fourth from left), Daniel Jones (centre in white T-shirt) and Vincent Hook (fourth from the right)

Police posted a picture of the ten defendants lined up outside court, dressed in casual summer clothing. The photo is understood to include Britons Billy Stevens (left), Paul Harris (fourth from left), Daniel Jones (centre in white T-shirt) and Vincent Hook (fourth from the right)

Two of the men who were arrested in Cambodia. The man on the left is thought to be Daniel Jones

Two of the men arrested in Cambodia. The man on the left is thought to be Daniel Jones

The group were shown using their phones as they sat in a police station in Cambodia

The group were shown using their phones as they sat in a police station in Cambodia

The mother also said her son told of an arrested woman being pressured by Khmer authorities to confess that she was pictured in a photo, which he described as depicting a young woman bending over and exposing her breast. She repeatedly denied the photo was of her.

'I'm getting to the stage where I'm just laughing about it... I'm just so damn tired. I haven't slept since this all started. I'm worried about their state of mind,' she said.

Among the eight men and two women arrested were Britons Vincent Harley Robert Hook, 35, Daniel Richard Leeming Jones, 30, Thomas Alexander Jeffries, 22, Billy Stevens, 21, and Paul Francis Harris, 32.

Also detained were Dutchman Job Robertus van der Wel, 22, Canadians Jessica Drolet, 25, and Eden Koazoleas, 19, along with Norwegian David Nikolaus Aleksandr Ballovarre, 22, and 32-year-old New Zealander Paul Martin Brasch.

The group were charged yesterday as prosecutors warned that they could face a year in jail for a 'breach of Cambodian traditions'. 

These photographs were taken at the Lets Get Wet event, which police raided on Thursday. However, it is not clear whether any of the people seen were arrested
Images from Lets Get Wet

These photographs were taken at the Lets Get Wet event, which police raided on Thursday. However, it is not clear whether any of the people seen were arrested

In Cambodia, it is illegal to make pornographic images under the country's 2007 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation. 

Most of the men are believed to live in the Asian country and could face up to six months behind bars before the case comes to court. 

Police released images appearing to show clothed and laughing tourists, some in sexually suggestive positions, at the party before Thursday’s raid.

Some 30 officers are believed to have stormed the venue in what is regarded as a crackdown on inappropriate behaviour. 

Up to 90 revellers were initially detained but all but ten were released. The party is believed to have been hosted by an events group called Let’s Get Wet. 

A poster for Thursday’s gathering advertised tickets for £5 on the door including a free drink. Photographs of previous parties show women in tiny bikinis and revellers drinking in a pool. 

One of the group later said they were confused because none of them featured in the alleged sexual pictures.

The man, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: 'Honestly, it was really confusing. Everyone was confused. They raided, rounded us up, there were about 80 to 100 people at this party, some of them were tourists. There were about 30 of them [police officers].'

Their families were 'worried sick', he said, adding: 'Our parents are doing what they can. It’s really just trying to keep a good vibe until we know the outcome.'

The alleged offences took place near to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, in the north west of Cambodia

The alleged offences took place near to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, in the north west of Cambodia

Among those detained was Eden Kazoleas, from Drayton Valley, near Edmonton, Alberta.

Her aunt, Donna Kazoleas, told CTV: 'Eden is a very, very good kid. She is very outgoing. She doesn’t smoke. She doesn’t drink. This is really, really concerning.'

Samrith Sokhon, the prosecutor of the Siem Reap provincial court, said the group could face up to a year in prison if convicted. 

'Any people producing pornography is contrary to Cambodia's traditions,' he said. 

One prisoner said they were at a villa party barbeque on Thursday at 4pm local time when police started to pluck people out of the crowd.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, they said: 'We're innocent. We don't know why we've been arrested - we're getting different stories from different people.' 

Another prisoner said they saw one man vomit in shock after being taken by police.

The group are believed to have been sleeping on the floor of an office at a police station in Siem Reap for three days, but have insisted they have been treated well by their captors - saying officers were friendly and had brought them pizza.

Events group Let’s Get Wet has used a series of other racy photos to publicise previous parties. Mr Hook, who attended Weymouth College according to his Facebook profile, features in one image wearing just trousers and earphones as women lie on floats in a pool below. Above him a poster reads: 'Girls dress as boys, boys dress as girls'. 

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said in a statement: 'We are assisting five British men arrested in Cambodia and are providing support to their families.'

A local authority spokesman added: 'The competent authorities are preparing a case to submit to the provincial court.'

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