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	An Australian man accused of abandoning his surrogate boy in Thailand after learning the baby had Down&#39;s syndrome was previously convicted of child sex offences in Australia, it has been alleged.</p>
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	The claim has raised further concerns about the oversight of international surrogacy. Australia&#39;s Channel Nine reported that the father of six-month-old Gammy spent time in jail for &quot;indecently dealing with a child under the age of 13 in 1998&quot;. The man&#39;s wife, who is of Asian origin, was aware of the conviction, but insisted that he &quot;was a good man&quot;.</p>
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	It is not known if the couple would have declared the alleged sex offence and the development is likely to increase pressure on the Australian authorities to intervene in the case.</p>
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	Scott Morrison, the Australian immigration minister, said officials were investigating whether &quot;the child may be eligible for Australian citizenship&quot;.</p>
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	&quot;We are taking a close look at what can be done here, but I wouldn&#39;t want to raise any false hopes or expectations,&quot; Mr Morrison said.</p>
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	&quot;We are dealing with something that has happened in another country&#39;s jurisdiction. It is terrible, just absolutely horrible and heartbreaking.&quot;</p>
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	The legal implications of the official queries mean that Gammy could be reunited with his twin sister in Australia.</p>
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	The Australian couple have insisted they did not know of Gammy&#39;s existence and that the Thai surrogacy agency only told them about his healthy twin sister, whom they took back to Australia. Pattharamon Janbua, the 21-year-old surrogate mother in Thailand, claims that the father met both children at a hospital there, but refused to touch or look at Gammy.</p>
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	An online campaign titled Hope for Gammy has raised more than &euro;155,000 to assist with medical treatment. The boy is being treated for a life-threatening lung condition in a Thai hospital.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/dad-of-abandoned-gammy-had-child-sex-conviction-30482991.html">http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/dad-of-abandoned-gammy-had-child-sex-conviction-30482991.html</a></p>
