A convicted Austrian pedophile yesterday had his appeal case heard at the Supreme Court after he was sentenced to 20 years’ prison for molesting five underage boys in 2008.

Olaf Achleitner, 64, was working as a chef in a riverside restaurant in 2007 when he was found to have committed the crimes.

Defence lawyer Dun Vibol argued that his client had a “disease” that made him attracted to young boys and that he should be shown leniency because of health problems.

“My client has a wife and a daughter, but he had a disease which made him want to have sex with boys. In the lower courts, he admitted his faults and, as he is growing older, he has had problems with incontinence,” he said.

Chea Nara, a lawyer representing the victims, said that the serious nature of Achleitner’s crimes should rule out a pardon or sentence reduction.

Presiding judge Khim Ponn said a verdict is due on Wednesday.