David Taylor says he deeply regrets the incident which resulted in the death of a Bali policeman

ACCUSED Bali killer David Taylor says he deeply regrets an incident that happened on a Kuta Beach and left police veteran Wayan Sudarsa dead.

David Taylor at Denpasar District Court. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

BRITISH man David Taylor has told of his deep sadness at his role in the death of a Bali police officer and offered a heartfelt apology to the victim’s family, the police force and his colleagues.

Making a short personal plea to the Judges who will decide his fate, Taylor, 34, told the Denpasar District Court he deeply regrets what happened on a Kuta beach and which left police veteran Wayan Sudarsa dead.

It comes a day after Taylor’s girlfriend, Sara Connor, 46, broke down in tears as she made her personal plea to the Judges and spoke emotionally of her two children home in Byron Bay.

“I’d like to take another opportunity to firstly offer my deepest heartfelt apologies to everybody involved in this terrible accident. I’d like to say sorry to the beautiful country of Bali and all the people that live here and to the police force and the colleagues of Wayan Sudarsa but mostly to the family of Wayan Sudarsa for their terrible loss,” Taylor told the Judges.

David Taylor at Denpasar District Court. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

“It fills me with the deepest sadness I have ever felt to be a part of the loss of a human life. It’s never ever been my intention to cause harm to anybody.”

Taylor told that his actions that night were self-defence.

“I was unfortunate enough to find myself in a terrible situation where eventually I was forced to protect my own life.”

He thanked the Judges and prosecution for patience and understanding during the trial.

“I ask that you take into consideration all the facts and the evidence and the witnesses statements that we have heard and seen so far. Thank you very much.”

One of the Judges then asked Taylor: Do you feel regret about what happened?

“Yes very much so,” he replied.

Taylor’s lawyers also addressed the court, in a 115-page defence submission, which concluded that Taylor’s actions were not intentional and that the death came about as Taylor was defending

himself during a fight with the police officer.

They asked that Taylor’s sentence be as lenient as possible, submitting that the eight-year sentence demanded by the prosecutor was too harsh given the mitigating factors of the case.

The lawyers submitted that at one stage, the police officer was on top of Taylor and pressing on his neck to a point where Taylor felt he could not breathe.

“Before the court there is no evidence the defendant has any intention to cause Wayan Sudarsa to die,” the lawyers submitted.

They also drew attention to the evidence of two Sydney sisters, who testified about being woken from their sleep in a nearby beachfront hotel by a desperate and hysterical fight on the beach, evidence that a man and woman were being attacked.

David Taylor speaks to the Judges.

Taylor’s lawyers also drew heavily on their client’s remorse and his expressed regret at his role in the attack, offering a deep apology to the police officer’s family in a letter written and sent one month after the death.

“During this process the defendant has admitted what he has done and been very co-operative with the court and regrets very much what happened,” the lawyers submitted. They said Taylor’s parents from the UK had supported him throughout and were at court on Tuesday.

Remorse and a confession are factors which, by Indonesian law, must be taken into account by Judges when sentencing offenders and have an impact on the final sentence.

Given Taylor’s confession and apology the prosecutors have now waived their right to another court hearing to press their case, as have the defence. The verdict will handed down on March 13.

In Connor’s case however, as she has denied any guilt in the offence, the prosecutors will on Thursday deliver their response to her defence case.

Earlier, on Tuesday, addressing the Judges directly, Connor told the court she played no role in harming the police officer that night and that if she had wanted to flee Bali in the aftermath of the killing she could easily have done so, using her Italian passport.

“I am a hard worker and a sole carer of two young children whom I love more than anything, that miss me and are waiting for me,” Connor told the Judges through tears. “If this is what God had planned for my life, to punish me so harshly and deprive my children of their mother, I hope he will give my children the strength to cope.”

Australian woman Sara Connor.

Connor offered condolences and expressed sadness for the officer’s family but maintained she was not guilty of any role that lead to his death.

And outside court she appeared defeated and worn down. “I am expecting the worst. I have lost all my hope,” she said. “I’ve lost all the hopes to see my children growing up.”

Connor’s lawyers submitted that the case against her was an illusion, not based on facts or evidence in her trial, and that it was Taylor, acting alone, who was responsible for the police officer’s death. The lawyers called for her to be acquitted and freed.

Both Connor and Taylor face three charges each, in separate trials — murder (unpremeditated), group violence causing death and assault causing death. Prosecutors have submitted that neither is guilty of murder but that both are guilty of group violence causing death and should be jailed for eight years. The maximum term for the charge is 12 years.

Judges are not bound by the prosecutor’s demand and can deliver any sentence, higher or lower and can find them guilty of any charge.