A British man on trial in Bali for a drug offense pleads for a lenient sentence

DENPASAR – A British antheral connected proceedings for cause offenses pleaded for leniency Tuesday successful a tribunal connected the Indonesian tourer land of Bali aft a complaint that could transportation the decease punishment was dropped.

Thomas Parker, from Cumbria successful northwest England, was arrested connected Jan. 21, astatine a villa adjacent Kuta beach, a fashionable tourer spot, aft helium allegedly collected a bundle from a motorcycle taxi operator astatine a adjacent street.

According to the tribunal papers obtained by The Associated Press, Parker was noticed “acting suspiciously” by officers portion helium was collecting the package. He allegedly discarded it successful a panic and fled erstwhile constabulary approached him. He was traced backmost to the villa wherever helium was staying and was arrested.

The tribunal papers said a laboratory trial effect confirmed the bundle containing somewhat implicit a kilogram (2.326 pounds) of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, oregon MDMA, the main constituent successful ecstasy.

Parker was initially charged with cause trafficking and could person faced the decease punishment by firing squad if recovered guilty.

However, the trafficking complaint was dropped aft constabulary investigators determined that the bundle was not straight linked to him.

The lawsuit went unreported until authorities showed a handcuffed Parker astatine a quality league connected March 6.

During the constabulary investigation, the 32-year-old electrician was capable to beryllium that helium did not bid the package. It was sent by a cause trader friend, identified lone arsenic Nicky, who Parker had known for astir 2 years and spoke to regularly done the Telegram messaging app.

During the proceedings that began past month, Parker told the tribunal helium initially refused to cod the bundle but aboriginal agreed to bash it aft Nicky assured him that the bundle was harmless and would not enactment him successful danger.

Parker was told idiosyncratic would prime it up soon from him, his lawyer, Edward Pangkahila said. Parker was not promised wealth oregon thing other by Nicky successful return, Pangkahila said.

Authorities reduced the complaint from trafficking to the little superior discourtesy of hiding accusation from authorities. Prosecutors connected May 6 sought a one-year situation word for Parker.

However, nether Indonesian ineligible system, judges person an important relation arsenic ineligible determinants successful a trial. They could question further charges if applicable laws are unclear oregon non-existent, meaning that the trafficking complaint could beryllium reinstated.

Pangkahila said that Parker past met Nicky a twelvemonth agone erstwhile helium was connected abrogation successful Thailand.

As his person was a dealer, Parker disquieted the bundle was filled with drugs. He panicked erstwhile helium saw constabulary officers connected the thoroughfare and and was approached by them, Pangkahila said.

Wearing a achromatic garment and achromatic trousers, Parker repeatedly expressed his remorse successful his last plea connected Tuesday and asked the sheet of 3 judges successful Denpasar District Court to see his concern and enforce a lenient sentence.

“I americium precise atrocious and apologize, I cognize it was a mistake,” Parker said, “I committedness not to repetition it again, due to the fact that I truly didn’t cognize that (the package) was drugs.”

After Parker work retired his plea, Presiding Judge Gusti Ayu Akhirnyani adjourned the proceedings until May 27, erstwhile the judges volition work retired their condemnation successful a verdict.

“Until now, they (prosecutors) cannot beryllium that our lawsuit is simply a middleman oregon trafficker,” Pangkahila said, “He has nary transportation with immoderate cause network, we anticipation the judges volition travel to the aforesaid conclusion.”

He said his lawsuit is tense and depressed arsenic helium faces trial.

Indonesia has precise strict cause laws and convicted traffickers tin beryllium executed by a firing squad.

About 530 radical are connected decease enactment successful Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections’ information showed. Indonesia’s past executions, of an Indonesian and 3 foreigners, were carried retired successful July 2016.

____

Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini successful Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.