By Scott Hesketh
A former British policeman is being held in Thailand over claims he sold women as sex slaves.
Ian Shuttleworth, from St Helens, allegedly lured Thai women to London under false promises of work at a restaurant.
The women were then flogged to unscrupulous brothel bosses and turned into vice girls, Thai cops believe.
Earlier today, Mr Shuttleworth, 45, who runs a security services agency in Bangkok, protested his innocence at a media conference.
But Police Major General Panya Maman said: "We arrested him because a victim, whom the suspect sent abroad but now is in Thailand, insisted that the suspect sent her for prostitution."
Mr Shuttleworth said: "An allegation has been made and the police have to do their job.
"They must arrest me in the circumstances because of the allegation that has been made.
"At the moment, I don't really know exactly what the situation is."
No charges have yet been brought by Thai police.
Mr Shuttleworth's son James, 27, a project manager from Leeds, who was with him when he was arrested, spoke of his shock at the allegations.
But he added: "I know that my dad has nothing to worry about."
He said his dad was semi-retired and had been living in Bangkok for around five years.
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