Nepal’s Supreme Court finalized the conviction of Canadian citizen and former United Nations official Peter John Dalglish for child sexual abuse.
According to reports, the court's decision marks the end of a long legal process that began with his arrest in 2018 and confirms an eight-year prison sentence along with compensation for the victims.
Before his arrest, Dalglish was widely recognized for his involvement in global humanitarian work. Among his many roles, he served as Chair of the Global Advisory Board for Skateistan, a non-profit organization that uses skateboarding as a tool to engage and educate youth, particularly in conflict-affected countries like Afghanistan and Cambodia.
His leadership was publicly acknowledged in Skateistan’s annual reports in the mid-2010s, during a time when the organization was expanding its programs and global reach.
Dalglish was arrested in April 2018 in the rural municipality of Mandandeupur, Kavre, where he was found with two young boys at a farmhouse he had set up during his visits to Nepal. The incident triggered widespread concern, not only because of the allegations but also due to the high-profile positions Dalglish held over the years.
Investigations later revealed that he had been suspected by some in the local community for years, but had avoided accountability because of his influence and connections.
He first arrived in Nepal in 2002 as a senior advisor to the International Labour Organization.
Over the following years, he returned frequently. Police believe that during these visits, he used his status and financial resources to prey on children from disadvantaged backgrounds, offering education and housing in exchange for sexual access.
His farmhouse in Kavre, purchased under an associate’s name in 2009, became the location where many of the abuses are believed to have taken place.
While only two victims were formally part of the case that led to his conviction, investigators suspect Dalglish abused dozens more over the years. Reports suggest that as many as 50 children may have been victimized.
Dalglish’s public image had once been defined by his involvement in initiatives focused on children’s rights and development.
He co-founded Street Kids International in the 1980s, which later merged with Save the Children. He also worked in Afghanistan with UN-Habitat and was awarded the Order of Canada in 2016 for his humanitarian contributions.
These past affiliations have now come under renewed scrutiny in light of his confirmed conviction. His advisory role at Skateistan is part of that reevaluation. The organization, which remains active and respected in the global non-profit space, has not publicly commented on his legal outcome since the Supreme Court’s decision.
The ruling by Justices Nahakul Subedi and Sunil Kumar Pokharel affirms previous judgments by both the district and high courts. The only change made by the Supreme Court was a reduction of Dalglish’s sentence from nine to eight years. Compensation for the victims remains in place.