Briton remanded over orphan abuse

Mr Allen appeared in court in Addis Ababa

A British man has appeared in court in Ethiopia on suspicion of sexually abusing orphans.

London minicab driver David Allen, who changed his name from David Christie, was remanded by the court on Monday.

He is due to reappear in two weeks, following further police investigations.

Mr Allen, 59, was a former aid worker in Ethiopia for the Swiss-based aid agency Terre des Hommes (TDH).

He was dismissed in 1996 after being suspected of molesting children at a centre for children orphaned by famine which he ran for TDH.

The charity said three Ethiopian boys had filed complaints with the police.

It said it had been "keeping tabs" on Mr Allen, and recently become aware of his intention to open a centre for children in Zambia.

It then worked with the Zambian and Ethiopian authorities to get him arrested.

Charges denied

Mr Allen was arrested in Addis Ababa on Friday, after flying to the continent from the UK.

He denied knowing anything about the charges at Monday's hearing, according to charity representatives in court.

He has spent the last few years living at various London addresses and working as a minicab driver.

He faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

A Foreign Office spokesman said Mr Allen had been visited by consular staff and given a choice of lawyers.