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| Eleanor Hawkins: British backpacker pleads guilty to 'obscene acts' after stripping on Malaysian mountain | Eleanor Hawkins: British backpacker pleads guilty to 'obscene acts' after stripping on Malaysian mountain |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A British woman who stripped on a sacred mountain in Malaysia has pleaded guilty to committing an "obscene act". | A British woman who stripped on a sacred mountain in Malaysia has pleaded guilty to committing an "obscene act". |
| Eleanor Hawkins, 23, was with a group of 10 backpackers at the summit of Mount Kinabalu who were seen taking their clothes off for celebratory photos on 30 May. | Eleanor Hawkins, 23, was with a group of 10 backpackers at the summit of Mount Kinabalu who were seen taking their clothes off for celebratory photos on 30 May. |
| She admitted the offence during an appearance at Kota Kinabalu Magistrates' Court this morning, the BBC reported. A group of ten tourists have been blamed for causing a deadly earthquake after they stripped on Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu | She admitted the offence during an appearance at Kota Kinabalu Magistrates' Court this morning, the BBC reported. A group of ten tourists have been blamed for causing a deadly earthquake after they stripped on Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu |
| It can be punished with up to three months in prison and a fine. | It can be punished with up to three months in prison and a fine. |
| Six days after the tourists took the naked photos, a magnitude-5.9 earthquake struck the 13,400ft-high mountain, killing 18 people and leaving hundreds more stranded. | Six days after the tourists took the naked photos, a magnitude-5.9 earthquake struck the 13,400ft-high mountain, killing 18 people and leaving hundreds more stranded. |
| Three other members of the group - Canadian siblings Lindsey and Danielle Petersen, and an unnamed Dutch man – also entered guilty pleas at today's hearing. | Three other members of the group - Canadian siblings Lindsey and Danielle Petersen, and an unnamed Dutch man – also entered guilty pleas at today's hearing. |
| They were also accused of urinating on the mountain and swearing at a guide who told them to treat it with respect, although the four denied telling the man to "go to hell" in court. | They were also accused of urinating on the mountain and swearing at a guide who told them to treat it with respect, although the four denied telling the man to "go to hell" in court. |
| Miss Hawkins and the other defendants are expected to be sentenced later today. | Miss Hawkins and the other defendants are expected to be sentenced later today. |
| She had been driven to court by officials wearing balaclavas, and arrived shortly before 8am (BST), being ushered inside by guards as international media clamoured to get a picture. | She had been driven to court by officials wearing balaclavas, and arrived shortly before 8am (BST), being ushered inside by guards as international media clamoured to get a picture. |
| Yesterday, Miss Hawkins’s father said his daughter “knows what she did was stupid and disrespectful and is very sorry for the offence that she has caused the Malaysian people”. | Yesterday, Miss Hawkins’s father said his daughter “knows what she did was stupid and disrespectful and is very sorry for the offence that she has caused the Malaysian people”. |
| He added: “We hope that the Malaysian authorities deal with the misdemeanour and not link it to the unfortunate tragic events that occurred the following week.” Mount Kinabalu during a rescue mission after an earthquake near the peak claimed at least 18 lives | He added: “We hope that the Malaysian authorities deal with the misdemeanour and not link it to the unfortunate tragic events that occurred the following week.” Mount Kinabalu during a rescue mission after an earthquake near the peak claimed at least 18 lives |
| Miss Hawkins, who recently graduated with a masters in aeronautical engineering from Southampton University, is in the middle of a gap year travelling around south-east Asia that started in January. | Miss Hawkins, who recently graduated with a masters in aeronautical engineering from Southampton University, is in the middle of a gap year travelling around south-east Asia that started in January. |
| Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the deputy chief minister of Sabah state, was among the politicians attributing the earthquake to travellers showing “disrespect to the sacred mountain”. | Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the deputy chief minister of Sabah state, was among the politicians attributing the earthquake to travellers showing “disrespect to the sacred mountain”. |
| The tourism minister, Masidi Manjun, later said the idea had been “misconstrued” but claimed the foreigners’ actions “were against the people of the largest tribe in Sabah”. | The tourism minister, Masidi Manjun, later said the idea had been “misconstrued” but claimed the foreigners’ actions “were against the people of the largest tribe in Sabah”. |
| A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “The legal process is a matter for the Malaysian courts and it would not be appropriate for us to comment. Our priority at this time is to support the British national and her family.” |