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Sara Connor in 5-star hotel quarantine after Bali jail release

Convicted killer Sara Connor has checked into a five-star hotel where she will remain in quarantine for two weeks after touching down in Australia from Bali.

Sarah Connor heading home

Convicted Australian killer Sara Connor has touched down in Sydney after being released from a notorious Indonesian jail for her role in the bashing of a Balinese policeman.

The Australian mother-of-two from Byron Bay avoided the cameras as her connecting flight from Malaysia landed at Sydney’s International Airport almost an hour ahead of schedule at 6.35pm on Saturday.

Touching home soil for the first time in more than four years, Connor was met with strict COVID-19 restrictions and was ushered into a chartered bus to undergo mandatory quarantine at the Intercontinental Hotel in the CBD.

A motorcade of police escorted the bus as it made the short journey from the airport.

Connor declined to respond to questions from the media as she made her way into the hotel at 9pm.

Sara Connor pictured as she arrives at the Intercontinental Hotel in the Sydney CBD. Picture: Damian Shaw
Sara Connor pictured as she arrives at the Intercontinental Hotel in the Sydney CBD. Picture: Damian Shaw
Sara Connor pictured (centre) as she arrives at the Intercontinental Hotel. Picture by Damian Shaw
Sara Connor pictured (centre) as she arrives at the Intercontinental Hotel. Picture by Damian Shaw
Sara Connor pictured as she arrives at the Intercontinental Hotel in the Sydney CBD. Picture by Damian Shaw
Sara Connor pictured as she arrives at the Intercontinental Hotel in the Sydney CBD. Picture by Damian Shaw
Sara Connor pictured as she arrives at Sydney Airport. Picture: Damian Shaw
Sara Connor pictured as she arrives at Sydney Airport. Picture: Damian Shaw

When she left Bali, she tried to avoid photographers as she rushed through the domestic airport wearing jeans and her head draped in fabric, masked and behind dark sunglasses.

She has done her best to avoid being photographed since she left Kerobokan prison where she served four of years for her role in the brutal slaying of a Balinese police officer on Kuta beach with her former boyfriend, Brit David Taylor in 2016.

Connor left the notorious Bali prison and was delivered to Indonesian Immigration where she was tested and cleared of the killer virus COVID-19, and waited to received travel temporary travel documents.

Sara Connor arriving at Denpasar Airport today. Picture: News Corp AUS
Sara Connor arriving at Denpasar Airport today. Picture: News Corp AUS

She nervously clutched onto the arm of Ms Sienny Karmana of Aussie security firm Tora Solutions – the outfit that paved the way for Queensland drug runner Schapelle Corby after she was released from her nine-year stint in the same infamous prison in 2017.

After her time in quarantine, Connor, 49, can be reunited with her two teenage son, who she has not seen since her dream holiday turned into a nightmare in August 2016.

Connor (centre) tried to avoid photographers as she rushed through Bali’s domestic airport this morning. Picture: News Corp AUS
Connor (centre) tried to avoid photographers as she rushed through Bali’s domestic airport this morning. Picture: News Corp AUS

In March 2016 Connor and her former toy boy partner British DJ David Taylor were found guilty of the deadly assault of Mr Wayan Sudarsa, whose broken body had 42 bloody wounds, including shocking head injuries from being beaten with a broken Bintang beer bottle and his own binoculars and mobile phone. Connor has always claimed her innocence and that the pair acted in self-defence, saying that Mr Sudarsa had taken her bag.

At the time the couple were made to re-enact the horrifically brutal attack on the sands of the tourist mecca, while dressed in bright orange prison uniforms with large signs bearing their names strung around their necks

The woman had bite wounds on her thighs where she had sat on the struggling man who took hours to die slowly on the sand after the couple had fled the scene.

Connor having a beverage at Denpasar Airport on her way home to Australia. Picture: Supplied
Connor having a beverage at Denpasar Airport on her way home to Australia. Picture: Supplied
Paperwork showing Sara Connor tested negative for COVID-19. Picture: Supplied
Paperwork showing Sara Connor tested negative for COVID-19. Picture: Supplied
Australian Sara Connor released from Bali’s Kerobokan Prison. Picture. Lukman S. Bintoro
Australian Sara Connor released from Bali’s Kerobokan Prison. Picture. Lukman S. Bintoro

Connor recruited the services of Australian security consultant John McCleod – who paved the way for Corby to leave Kerobokan Prison in 2017 – to smooth her departure, particularly since Indonesian authorities fear for her safety as a convicted cop killer.

Recently, another prisoner from the island of Sulawesi who was involved in the death of a policeman was murdered in a revenge killing upon being released from prison.

Sara Connor is released from a Bali prison. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro
Sara Connor is released from a Bali prison. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

CONNOR RELEASED FROM JAIL

Connor was obscured by a sarong as she left Bali’s notorious Kerobokan jail.

Wearing a light short sleeved grey T-shirt, Connor was surrounded by more than a dozen local police, prison staff and lawyer Edward Pangkahila who represented McLeod.

Leaving the prison by a small side door, Connor was rushed to a waiting car to take her to Bali’s Immigration office at the airport before being deported to Australia.

The head of Bali’s women prison, Mrs Lili, said that Connor – who is famously paranoid about having her photo taken, was looking forward to reuniting with her two sons.

“Sara looks very happy. She said goodbye to me and said she would not return here.

She only carried one backpack of belongings. She distributed all of her clothes to her friends in prison. Sara also brought the hair dressing certificate that she earned while in prison, Mrs Lili said.

Sara Connor has been hairdressing while in jail. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro
Sara Connor has been hairdressing while in jail. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro
Sara Connor while in jail in Bali. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro
Sara Connor while in jail in Bali. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

Images of a beaming Connor with her inky fingers and prints on her release document appeared on Tora Solutions Facebook page.

Sara Connor is headed back to Sydney. Picture: Facebook
Sara Connor is headed back to Sydney. Picture: Facebook
Sara Connor fingerprinted upon her release from Kerobokan jail. Picture: Facebook
Sara Connor fingerprinted upon her release from Kerobokan jail. Picture: Facebook
Sara Connor and David Taylor taking part in the police re-enactment on Kuta beach. Picture: Zul Eduardo
Sara Connor and David Taylor taking part in the police re-enactment on Kuta beach. Picture: Zul Eduardo
Sara Connor and David Taylor taking part in the police re-enactment on Kuta beach. Picture: Zul Eduardo
Sara Connor and David Taylor taking part in the police re-enactment on Kuta beach. Picture: Zul Eduardo

DFAT told News Corp: “The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continues to provide consular assistance to an Australian woman in Bali. Owing to our privacy obligations we will not provide further comment.”

Originally published as Sara Connor in 5-star hotel quarantine after Bali jail release

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/crimeinfocus/sara-connor-released-from-bali-jail-before-being-deported-to-australia/news-story/52dd6e921dd0f12ced2af357410357ea