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Bali Murder: Australian Woman, British Man Face Interrogation

A lawyer says there were inconsistencies in a key statement.
Byron Bay Mother of two Sara Connor will undergo further questioning on Monday over the alleged murder of Bali traffic cop Wayan Sudarsa
Fairfax
Byron Bay Mother of two Sara Connor will undergo further questioning on Monday over the alleged murder of Bali traffic cop Wayan Sudarsa

An Australian woman and a British national named as suspects in the murder of a Bali police officer will undergo a fresh bout of questioning on Monday, after the lawyer for one of the pair indicated he thought there were details his client "still covered up."

Byron Bay mother of two, Sara Connor, and British man David Taylor are facing 15 years jail each over the murder of Balinese policeman Wayan Sudarsa on Kuta beach on Wednesday last week. Neither have been formally charged, but they have been named as suspects and detained for questioning.

Sudarsa's body was found on the beach with 43 wounds, 17 of them to the head, which may have been inflicted by a broken bottle.

Taylor had told police Connor had complained to him about a "bad cop" who had attacked her on the popular tourist beach.

It appeared Connor had sustained a bite mark and may have been involved in a physical struggle, Denpasar District Police Chief Hadi Purnomo has said.

He told The ABC blood from the crime scene had been examined.

Wayan Sudarsa was found dead on a Kuta beach. He had sustained numerous injuries.
Fairfax
Wayan Sudarsa was found dead on a Kuta beach. He had sustained numerous injuries.

"From the forensic lab result we found two types of blood on the crime scene: the suspect's and the victim's," he told the ABC.

It is unclear if he was talking about Connor's blood or Taylor's.

INCONSISTENT REPORTS

But Taylor's lawyer told reporters there were inconsistencies in his client's statement to police.

He had earlier told reporters in Bali he had been advised Connor had been pinned to the sand by a policeman after she went searching for her missing handbag, and was saved by three or four men who allowed her to slip away.

"Reading his statement ... there were unsynchronised statements, I saw something he was hiding. I tried to move his conscience to say it as it is, what he knows, what he felt, what he saw," Taylor's lawyer, Haposan Sihombingsaid.

"What he said was that what he said [on Saturday] was incomplete, it means there are things he still covered up," he reportedly said in response to a question about whether his client had admitted to being dishonest.

Taylor and Conner are expected to undergo fresh questioning on Monday. Connor's lawyer, Erwin Siregar, and Haposan Sihombing are former lawyers of convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby.

David Taylor is expected to undergo questioning in Bali on Monday
Fairfax
David Taylor is expected to undergo questioning in Bali on Monday

"... TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER"

Connor's Byron Bay family on Sunday issued a statement defending her.

"The accusations laid against her are totally out of character for this beautiful person. Her love for her boys is the biggest love in her life," the statement said.

"She is very passionate about life and exudes enthusiasm wherever she goes."

Police have alleged a man matching Taylor's description was seen leaving the beach with blood on his shirt. Blood was allegedly found in the hotel where the pair was staying.

Putu Yudi Krisna said his brother, Sudarsa's was kind and had been a policeman for 35 years.

"He had two children and so far, he had no enemies whatsoever. We're very shocked," he said.

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