British man and his Australian girlfriend arrested over death of police officer found ‘beaten to death with beer bottle’ on Bali beach
David Taylor and girlfriend Sara Connor were found with cuts covering their hands
A BRITISH man is facing 15 years in a Bali jail after a police officer was found battered to death on a beach.
The body of officer Wayan Sudarsa was found on the beach with 17 open wounds to the head after being repeatedly hit with a blunt object, believed to be a beer bottle.
A manhunt for Brit David Taylor and his Australian girlfriend Sara Connor was then sparked after Connor's driver's licence and bank card were found at the murder scene with police since alleging their room was found covered in blood.
The pair, who were found with injuries on their hands, now face a maximum of 15 years jail if they are found guilty of second degree murder.
Authorities interviewed nine witnesses, leading them to want to question the couple who had been staying at Kubu Kauh Beach Inn in Kuta.
Police were forced to plaster posters of the couple across police stations and hotels in an effort to find them, eventually alerted to their presence at the Australian Consulate.
But Taylor has since refused to speak with police while Byron Bay girlfriend Sara Connor has said she was too drunk to remember what happened that night.
Senior Commander Sugeng Priyanto said: "She said that at the time she was drunk. So she did not remember all the things that happened that night … meanwhile the man, David Taylor, a Brit, is yet to give a statement. He said he wants to wait for a lawyer."
The Brit has since told police he had suffered the wounds on his hands in Italy.
Mr Priyanto said: “The result of questioning the witnesses and evidence found at the crime scene lead to these two people.”
The pair are now expected to be taken back to the crime scene on Saturday.
Witnesses said they saw two people who looked like the couple to be leaving the murder scene.
The couple have been questioned at the Denpasar police station with police claiming they found blood on the bed, doors, walls and floor of the couple's room.
Sanglah Hospital morgue chief Dr Dudut Rustyadi said the autopsy revealed that Wayan Sudarsa was hit repeatedly and that he had what appeared to be defensive wounds to his left and right hands.
Dr Rustyadi said: “From the autopsy we found there are many wounds and bruises on the head. We found 17 open wounds or lacerations in the head."
He said there were a total of 42 injuries to the body, consisting of open wounds, scars and bruises.
He said: “The cause of the death is a blow that repeatedly hit his head, that caused swelling in the brain, pressing the respiratory centre."
He said it was a blunt object, agreeing it could have been a beer bottle.
Investigators are now pouring over CCTV footage taken by Pullman Hotel cameras in an attempt to find answers.
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Mr Sudarsa’s brother Putu Yudi Krisna told AAP that the victim had been a policeman for 35 years.
He said: "He’s a kind person, loving his family and living modestly. He had two children and so far, he had no enemies whatsoever. We’re very shocked."
A security officer at the Pullman Hotel told police he heard screaming at about 1.15am on the Wednesday and went down to the beach.
There he allegedly saw five people, including a woman on the beach with the policeman.
Thinking the group was "just fooling around", he went back to the hotel.
More than an hour later the body was discovered.
A witness is understood to have told police that a man left the beach with blood on his T-shirt and that a motorbike taxi driver, scared after seeing his bloody shirt, refused to take him.
Mr Sudana said: "We are still developing the investigation, deepening statements from witnesses, checking all places that may be related with the case."
He said blood found last night in a nearby hotel room, where Connor and Taylor had been staying at the Kubu Kauh Beach Inn, was yet to be analysed. And an autopsy on the policeman is being conducted today.
Connor's family has since released a statement, saying the mother of two was a dedicated mother.
They said: "The accusations laid against her are totally out of character for this beautiful person.
"Sara is a very honest, reliable and generous person.
"She has a huge heart. Her love for her boys is the biggest love in her life. She is very passionate about life and exudes enthusiasm wherever she goes."
Connor's friend Avishay Biton said he was shocked to hear of the arrest.
He said: "That's a big shock to me.
"They're both so nice, it doesn't make sense. It's just a scary though with Indonesian courts.
"It just doesn't feel like they have justice there. I'm worried for my friends."
Friends of Ms Connor’s from Byron Bay fear she has been killed.
A local man said the 45-year-old was a “lovely person” and it was out of character for her to disappear.
“I am worried, she’s a lovely person, I just hope she hasn’t been killed,” he said.
“Her boyfriend is a really nice guy too.
“I can’t believe it, this is a huge shock.”
One of Ms Connor’s housemates in Byron Bay, Oren Bresler, told News Corp Australia:
“We’re worried sick about her.
“I’m really confused ... I don’t want to say anymore until we know the full story.”
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