An Australian woman in Bali is facing multiple charges, including second degree murder, following the alleged bashing death of a police officer on Kuta Beach earlier this week.
In addition to the murder charge, Sara Connor, a mother of two from Byron Bay, faces charges of manslaughter committed by more than one person, and/or assault leading to death. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison.
Connor and her British boyfriend, DJ and music producer David Taylor, had both previously been questioned in relation to the death of officer Wayan Sudrasa, who was found dead on the beach at 3.30am on August 17.
The couple were taken to a police hospital for physical examination, and wounds were found on Taylor’s hands, but he told officers these were related to an old injury, and not to the alleged murder.
Lawyer Erwan Siregar says that Connor arrived in Bali on August 16, and that night, drank “a couple of beers” at dinner with Taylor, before accompanying him to the beach, where they continued drinking and kissing into the early hours.
Siregar refused to be drawn into questions about whether his client may have acted in self-defence, saying they were “yet to go into details of the case.” Conner, however, “vehemently” denies taking drugs on the night in question.
“She is tired. She is sad, she is stressed. (Under the circumstances) that is normal,” Siregar said about Connor’s current condition. “Of course she misses her sons, she misses her family.”
Connor is the founder of Byron Bay Fresh Pasta, and the local community have rallied around her, with friends and colleagues releasing a statement saying the arrest is “totally out of character for this beautiful person.”
A cremation ceremony for the slain officer will be held today.
Source: Fairfax.
Photo: Barcroft Media / Getty.
