An Australian former Catholic private school teacher has been arrested in Cambodia and charged with child sex offences.

Anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection police in the Cambodian tourist town of Siem Reap arrested Garry Paul Mulroy, 69, on charges he sexually abused six boys, aged 11 to 14.

The Siem Reap Provincial Police allege Mr Mulroy persuaded the six boys, who are from poor families, to have sex with him in exchange for food and money, the Khmer Times reported.

The alleged child sex crimes took place at Mr Mulroy’s rented home in Slorkram, just 6km south of Siem Reap’s major attraction, the World Heritage Angkor Wat temples.

On his Facebook page, Mr Mulroy has posted photographs of himself surrounded with boys and young men.

Mr Mulroy is a former teacher at Lismore’s Trinity Catholic College in northern New South Wales.

In 2014, Mulroy was hailed a hero after he led a tour of Trinity College Year 11 students to Siem Reap on a trip to build houses for poor locals.

Mr Mulroy said at the time the trip had reinforced his faith in the goodness of Australian youth.

“These nine young men gave their all, physically and mentally, to make a difference to the desperately poor,” he told the Northern Leader newspaper at the time.

The Khmer Times reported that following his arrest as a result of a complaint from one of the alleged victims, Mr Mulroy fell ill.

“After his arrest, he became sick and was sent to the provincial referral hospital for treatment,” Provincial Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department chief Colonel Chea Heng said.

He said Mr Mulroy would be sent to the provincial court for questioning after he recovers.

Khoem Vando, child protection specialist with APLE (Action Pour Les Enfants) Cambodia, said Mr Mulroy brought the six boys to his rental house in Slorkram commune where he allegedly sexually abused them last November.

The alleged offences are said to have occurred last November.

Mr Vando said APLE had monitored Mr Mulroy’s activities and reported the alleged abuse to police.

Mr Mulroy apparently organised the 2014 trip for which the nine Trinity College schoolboys raised $7500 to buy building materials and 420 litres of paint for poor Cambodians.

The schoolboys paid for their own airfares and accommodation in two star hotels.

“They treated the Cambodian workers and people with great respect,” Mr Mulroy said at the time. “They’re a credit to their parents, themselves and the college.

“We worked in solidarity with the locals, building two new houses and renovating

offices, the first aid room and a computer classroom at the school.”

Mr Mulroy left Trinity College in December 2015 and is believed to have moved to Cambodia.