The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday convicted a French national of child sex purchase and sentenced him to 7 years in jail, according to a verdict announced by Judge Seng Neang.

Jacques Philippe Albertini, 71, was charged on May 23, 2012 with soliciting child prostitution.

"Jacques Philippe Albertini was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for purchasing child prostitution under the Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation," the verdict said.

The court also ordered him to pay 1,250 US dollars as civil compensation to each of his three victims.

Albertini was arrested by police after complaints were filed by the families of his three male underage victims, all aged 12 at the time of abuse, who said he had molested them and sometimes paid them 10 US dollars.

Khoem Vando, project officer at non-governmental organization Action Pour Les Enfants, which had provided legal aid to the victims, welcomed the court's decision although the court failed to issue a deportation order to the convict.