BALI, INDONESIA – A British national was sentenced to 10 months in prison by a Bali court on Tuesday for withholding information related to a drug case, narrowly avoiding a potential death penalty.
Thomas Parker, 32, from Cumbria in northwest England, was arrested on January 21 near the popular Kuta Beach area. Authorities say Parker was seen acting suspiciously while receiving a package from a motorcycle taxi driver. When approached by police, he allegedly panicked, discarded the parcel, and fled the scene. He was later tracked to a nearby villa and taken into custody.
The court heard that Parker did not order the package, which contained illegal drugs. Instead, it was sent by a friend known only as “Nicky,” a suspected drug dealer. Parker initially declined to accept the delivery but eventually agreed after being reassured it posed no risk and would be collected soon after.
Prosecutors originally charged Parker with drug trafficking, an offence in Indonesia that can result in the death penalty by firing squad. However, after investigators found no direct link between Parker and the drugs, the charge was downgraded to concealing information from authorities.
During the trial at Denpasar District Court, judges acknowledged Parker’s lack of criminal history and remorse. Although prosecutors sought a 12-month sentence, the court imposed a reduced 10-month term.
Indonesia enforces some of the world’s toughest drug laws, and foreign nationals have faced severe penalties in similar cases.
