When prosecutors say they want to give up drug charges carrying the death penalty, defense judge in Bali litigation attorney arrested for leniency

A British man who was tried for drug crimes defended in an Indonesian court in Bali on Tuesday after a possible death sentence.

Thomas Parker, from Cumbria, was arrested in January near Kuta Beach after allegedly gathering a package from a taxi driver in a nearby street.

The package has slightly more than one kilogram of MDMA, a party drug and the main ingredient of ecstasy, according to laboratory test results cited in court documents.

Parker, a 32-year-old electrician, was initially charged with drug trafficking and, if found guilty, could face the death penalty by firing a squad.

However, trafficking charges were dropped after police investigators determined that the program was not directly related to him.

Parker repeatedly expressed remorse in his final confession today and asked a panel of three judges from the District Court of Den Barca to consider his situation and sentenced a leniency sentence.

Parker said: “I’m sorry, sorry, I know it’s a mistake and I promise not to repeat it again because I really don’t know (the package) is a drug.”

Thomas Parker listens to his interpreter at a trial hearing Tuesday

The 32-year-old electrician was able to prove that he had not ordered a parcel

After Parker read out his guilty plea, presided over the trial, Gusti Ayu Akhirnyani, who was the judge, was adjourned until May 27, where the judge will read out their verdict in the verdict.

“So far, they (prosecutors) have not been able to prove that our clients are intermediaries or traffickers,” Pangkahila said.

“He has no connection with any drug network and we hope the judge will come to the same conclusion.”

He said his client was nervous and frustrated when he faced trial.

Parker was “suspected” by officials when collecting the package, according to court documents obtained by the Associated Press.

He allegedly threw it away in panic when the police approached him. He was traced back to the villa where he lived and arrested.

But Parker insisted in court that he had not ordered the package, initially refusing to collect it, only doing so after a friend assured him that it was safe and that he would not be jeopardized.

The package was sent by drug dealers friends and was identified only as Nick, Parker for about two years and was regularly talked to via the Telegram messaging app.

Parker, charged with drug offences, sat on the defendant’s chair before the trial hearing started in the District Court in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Parker appeared in front of the media in front of Denpasar’s orange jumpsuit for the first time since his arrest in March.

Parker was told someone would pick it up from him soon, his attorney, Edward Pangkahila.

Pongahira said Nick didn’t have the money or anything that promised Parker.

During the police investigation, Parker was able to prove that he had not ordered the package.

Authorities will charge the crime of reducing trafficking from humans to less serious crimes of hiding information from authorities.

Prosecutors sought one year in prison for Parker on May 6.

However, under the Indonesian legal system, judges play an important role in legal determinants in trials.

If applicable law is unclear or does not exist, they may seek further charges, which means that trafficking charges can be resumed.

Pangkahila said Parker last met Niki while on vacation in Thailand a year ago.

Thomas Parker is said to have shown suspicious behavior during a pack of MDMA delivered by a motorcycle courier on January 21.

Police said they opened the mail packet and found light brown powder inside. It was later discovered that it was MDMA and was a major component of ecstasy

When his friend was a dealer, Parker worried that the package was filled with drugs.

Pongahila said he panicked when he saw policemen on the street and was approached by them.

He was traced back to the 7-sea villa in North Kuta, where he was arrested.

Police showed Parker the abandoned package, which was allegedly the one he received earlier.

They claimed they found a light brown powder inside what was later identified as MDMA.

Police took the suspect to the Narcotics Office in January for treatment, and he has since been remanded.

The case was not reported until authorities showed Parker in handcuffs at a press conference on March 6.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told MailOnline that they are supporting a British man detained in Bali and keeping in touch with local authorities.

Indonesia has very strict drug laws and designated traffickers can be fired to enforce them.

Data from the Immigration and Corrections Department shows that about 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mainly for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners.

Indonesia’s last execution was conducted in July 2016, with three foreigners.