WRAP Court rules to extradite pedophile accused to Australia ADDS more

(24 Apr 2008) 1. Wide exterior of South Jakarta district courthouse 2. Wide exterior of holding room 3. Various of suspect Charles Alfred Barnett in holding room 4. Exterior of holding room 5. The defendant Charles Barnett walking in and sitting down 6. Judge opening trial 7. Various of audience 8. Various of Barnett 9. Wide of trial 10. SOUNDBITE: (Indonesian) Syafrullah Suma, Presiding judge: "Statements in the court from the defendant lawyers and the witnesses which were describing the defendant as Australian who has been living accordingly to the law and always giving material and immaterial assistance to the society cannot be considered as the reason to stall the legal process and dismiss the extradition. However, the court thinks that those statements can be used as consideration in the legal process that will be taken by the Australian government." 11. Various of Barnett listening to the verdict 12. SOUNDBITE: (Indonesian) Syafrullah Suma, Presiding judge: "The court grants prosecutor's request to extradite Charles Alfred Barnett to Australia." 13. Mid of judge closing trial 14. Zoom out of judge leaving court room 15. Wide of Barnett leaving the court room and entering a holding room STORYLINE: An Indonesian court ruled on Thursday that a former Roman Catholic priest Charles Barnett could be extradited to Australia to face charges of sexual offences against children dating back to 1979. Barnett was taken into police custody at his Jakarta home in February following a request from the Australian government, according to prosecution papers filed at the South Jakarta District Court. Judge Syafrullah Suma ruled that the extradition arrest was legal and Barnett could be sent back to Australia. "The court grants prosecutor's request to extradite Charles Alfred Barnett to Australia," Suma said. It was not immediately clear when he would be returned or whether his lawyers would appeal the verdict. According to the prosecution, Barnett is accused of abusing six boys between 1979 and 1994. Last week, Barnett appealed to the judge to allow him to live in Indonesia for "humanitarian reasons". He said he "sincerely regretted the hurt" he had caused to his victims and their families and he had already "begged for their forgiveness". Barnett was teaching English in Indonesia and has not been accused of any offences in the country. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...