UK man convicted in policeman's death leaves Bali prison

A British man convicted of murdering a traffic police officer on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali walked free from prison Thursday after completing his sentence.

David Taylor, who promoted himself as DJ Nutzo originally from Halifax, and his Australian girlfriend, Sara Connor, were arrested in August 2016 for fatally attacking the officer, Wayan Sudarsa. His bloodied body was found on the beach outside the Pullman Hotel in the popular tourist area of Kuta.

The 38-year-old Taylor admitted hitting the officer repeatedly with a cellphone, binoculars and a broken beer bottle, leaving him face down and unconscious. But he said he didn’t realize Sudarsa would die. He had shown remorse and apologized.

They were charged with committing violence leading to death, which carries a maximum 12-year prison term.

During the trial, Connor, who faced the same charge, said she wasn’t an active participant in the attack. But the judges found that her role prevented Sudarsa, a member of Bali’s police force for 35 years, from defending himself.

Prosecutors had sought eight-year prison terms for Taylor and Connor, but a court in March 2017 sentenced Taylor to six years and Connor to four years. She appealed, and a higher court increased her sentence to five years.

Taylor, wearing a mask, black T-shirt and carrying his guitar, was escorted Thursday through a crush of reporters outside the Kerobokan prison in Denpasar, the Bali provincial capital, into a waiting car that took him to the airport. He made no comment.

He received a total of 18 months and 15 days of sentence reductions, which are often granted to prisoners on major holidays because of their good conduct, said Fikri Jaya, the Kerobokan prison chief warden.

“Taylor also get involved in activities arranged by correctional officers. He was entitled to the sentence reduction,” Jaya said. He said Taylor will be placed in a detention cell at the immigration office while waiting for a flight to the U.K. Thursday night.

Connor, 49, was deported to Australia last July. She served just under four years.

Connor and Taylor were drinking beer on the beach in the hours before the late-night incident. Taylor said he got into a fight with Sudarsa, who was on duty, after Connor realized she had lost her handbag and accused Sudarsa of being a fake police officer and stealing it.

Image: AP/Representative