A convicted British sex offender who orchestrated a sham wedding ceremony with a nine-year-old girl at Disneyland Paris has claimed he is being targeted by fellow inmates whilst awaiting trial in France.
Jacky Jhaj, 40, alleges prisoners at the Meaux-Chauconin detention facility have attacked him since his arrest in June, according to his legal representative Etienne Arnaud.
The solicitor told a French court that his client has faced bullying and arson attacks, including inmates setting fire to his bedding, from other detainees who believe he is wealthy due to extensive media coverage of the case.
Mr Arnaud said his client is “under pressure” because “he is seen as someone who has a lot of money” following reports about the elaborate ceremony.
The incident that led to Mr Jhaj’s arrest occurred when he hired out the Paris theme park after closing hours for what prosecutors describe as an illegal wedding ceremony involving approximately 100 paid participants on 21st June.
Theme park staff raised the alarm after observing the Ukrainian child dressed in bridal attire and elevated footwear, prompting them to contact authorities over suspicions an unlawful child marriage was taking place.
Serious Criminal Charges
French prosecutors have charged Mr Jhaj with fraud, breach of trust, money laundering and identity theft following his detention in June. Authorities allege he assumed the identity of a 22-year-old Latvian national and presented fraudulent documentation to pose as the groom during the event.
The elaborate production reportedly cost £113,400 to stage at the popular tourist attraction.
Mr Jhaj’s legal team sought his release on judicial supervision, offering a £26,200 bail payment and passport surrender, but a liberty and detention judge dismissed the application on Thursday.
The court ordered his continued imprisonment for an additional four months whilst investigations proceed into the alleged offences.
“This concerns my release. It’s a very serious matter. We’re talking about my life,” Mr Jhaj told the court, according to French newspaper Le Parisien.
Previous Convictions for Child Sex Offences
British authorities are pursuing Mr Jhaj for breaching sex offender register requirements following prior convictions for child sexual offences. Previous legal proceedings have characterised him as a “dangerous sexual predator”.
His defence counsel maintains the Disneyland event was a film production rather than an actual wedding ceremony.
Mr Arnaud insisted that his client “was one of the actors” and “was in no way the organiser” of the event, adding that he “wasn’t the one financing the filming”.
Medical assessments determined the nine-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had not experienced violence or coercion during the incident.
History of Sexual Offences Against Children
During proceedings, it emerged that in 2016, Mr Jhaj received a four-year prison sentence after conviction on four counts of sexual activity with two 15-year-old victims whilst masquerading as a film producer.
The then 29-year-old had falsely claimed to be 21 years old to groom the teenagers, having driven around Hounslow in a Range Rover collecting schoolchildren, supplying them with alcohol and transporting them to parties, a court heard at the time.
Mr Jhaj’s modus operandi involved presenting himself as younger than his actual age and posing as a film industry professional to gain access to vulnerable young people.
Metropolitan Police Involvement
Following Mr Jhaj’s arrest in France, the UK’s Metropolitan Police confirmed they are seeking him for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failing to comply with Sex Offenders’ Register notification requirements.
In a statement, the force said officers are “in contact with the French authorities” regarding the 40-year-old’s detention abroad.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated they are “aware the man has been arrested in France for other matters” and are liaising with French law enforcement over his return to the UK.
The Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed following his 2016 conviction and is designed to protect children from individuals who pose a risk of sexual harm.
Mr Jhaj will remain in custody at the Meaux-Chauconin facility whilst French prosecutors continue their investigation into the Disneyland incident. His trial date has not yet been set.
The case has raised serious questions about how a convicted sex offender was able to organise such an elaborate event at one of Europe’s most popular family destinations, and how he managed to leave the United Kingdom whilst subject to monitoring requirements.
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