KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Malaysian police want to meet Richard Huckle to find out if the convicted British paedophile had any local accomplices who helped him prey on children, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.

The Inspector-General of Police said this was the main reason to meet the 30-year-old now serving a life sentence in the UK.

“The real reason for us in wanting to interview Huckle is not to further identify his victims, but we would like to know if he has any accomplices here or anywhere else who target young children," he told reporters at the national police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

Earlier this month, Khalid said the police wanted to meet Huckle to find out the identities of all his Malaysian child victims.

Huckle is said to have raped 22 Malaysian boys and girls from poor Christian families in the Klang Valley over nearly a decade while he was based in the country till his arrest in the UK last year.

He had posed as an English teacher, a church volunteer and was an amateur photographer.

The Briton was given 22 life sentences and would serve at least 23 years behind bars for his crimes against his child victims whose ages ranged from six months to 12 years.

Huckle is believed to have abused up to 200 children but admitted to 71 of 91 charges.

Local authorities are now trying to retrace Huckle’s steps in Malaysia and identify his victims.