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| British backpacker Eleanor Hawkins sentenced to three days in prison and fined for stripping on sacred Malaysian mountain | British backpacker Eleanor Hawkins sentenced to three days in prison and fined for stripping on sacred Malaysian mountain |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A British woman been sentenced to three days in prison and fined almost £900 for stripping on a sacred mountain in Malaysia. | A British woman been sentenced to three days in prison and fined almost £900 for stripping on a sacred mountain in Malaysia. |
| 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 and three other members of the group - Canadian siblings Lindsey and Danielle Petersen, and a Dutch traveller Dylan Snel – had admitted committing an “obscene act” at Kota Kinabalu Magistrates' Court earlier today. A group of ten tourists have been blamed for causing a deadly earthquake after they stripped on Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu | She and three other members of the group - Canadian siblings Lindsey and Danielle Petersen, and a Dutch traveller Dylan Snel – had admitted committing an “obscene act” at Kota Kinabalu Magistrates' Court earlier today. A group of ten tourists have been blamed for causing a deadly earthquake after they stripped on Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu |
| Because the four defendants have already been held in custody for three days since their arrests on Tuesday, the judge ruled that their punishment had been served and ordered them to be deported, Sky News reported. | Because the four defendants have already been held in custody for three days since their arrests on Tuesday, the judge ruled that their punishment had been served and ordered them to be deported, Sky News reported. |
| The fine of 5,000 Malaysian ringgit converts to roughly £860. | The fine of 5,000 Malaysian ringgit converts to roughly £860. |
| The offence could have been be punished with up to three months in prison under Malaysian law. | The offence could have been be punished with up to three months in prison under Malaysian law. |
| The defendants 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 and the official record was amended. | The defendants 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 and the official record was amended. |
| The Malay Mail reported that the court was told the climbers had challenged each other to see who could remain naked in the cold for the longest. | |
| Defence lawyer Ronny Cham was quoted saying defendants had suffered enough trauma and that extensive international news coverage of the incident has served as deterrent for others. | |
| Jamil Aripin, a prosecutor, agreed that there was no link between the earthquake and thei stripping but said it had outraged the local community. Mount Kinabalu during a rescue mission after an earthquake near the peak claimed at least 18 lives | |
| Miss Hawkins 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. | Miss Hawkins 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. |
| Journalists in the courtroom said that diplomats from the UK, Canada and the Netherlands were present for the sentencing hearing, sitting just behind their respective citizens. | Journalists in the courtroom said that diplomats from the UK, Canada and the Netherlands were present for the sentencing hearing, sitting just behind their respective citizens. |
| 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.” | 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.” |
| 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. A tourist takes pictures of Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu | 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. A tourist takes pictures of Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu |
| 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 Kadazan-Dusun tribe believe Mount Kinabalu houses their dead ancestors’ spirits, conducting rituals to appease them, and guides reportedly tell climbers to treat it with respect. | The Kadazan-Dusun tribe believe Mount Kinabalu houses their dead ancestors’ spirits, conducting rituals to appease them, and guides reportedly tell climbers to treat it with respect. |
| Yesterday, Miss Hawkins' 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' 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.” | 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.” |
| Miss Hawkins, who comes from Derby and 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 comes from Derby and 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. |