An Australian man on trial in Bali over the sexual assault of at least 11 young girls in Bali has been found guilty by Denpasar court, receiving a 15-year sentence.
In addition to the jail time, 70-year-old Robert Andrew Fiddes Ellis has reportedly been fined two billion rupiah—which can be substituted for an extra six months behind bars.
Considering Indonesia’s move to enact castration for child sex offenders—a punishment Ellis was not being considered for—a 15 year sentence doesn’t seem too, too bad.
Though Ellis’ defense attorney says that sentence equates as life sentence for his elderly client.
Prosecutors had pushed for 16 years, to the frustration of child advocacy organizations who felt it wasn’t harsh enough.
Denpasar Chief Judge Wayn Sukanila said that Ellis’ actions “destroyed the children’s futures.”
Ellis lured young girls to his place of residence in Tabanan, Bali with cash, food, and clothes, in return for bathing them before sexually abusing them. For each bath, Ellis allegedly paid the girls Rp 100k-300k, the court heard.
“The defendant’s actions damaged Bali’s tourist image,” the judge said, as quoted by Australia’s Nine Network.
Ellis previously said he didn’t do anything serious enough to end up jail and that he considers the girls his “friends.”
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