AUSTRALIAN PEDOPHILE SUSPECT WILLING TO BE EXTRADITED TO HIS COUNTRY

Denpasar, Aug 13 (ANTARA) - An Australian man wanted in his country for a pedophile offense told judges at the Denpasar District Court he had no objections to being extradited to Australia.

Paul Francis Callahan (48) who was arrested in Kuta, Bali, last July 12 expressed his preparedness in a court session on Wednesday to hear the Australian government's request for his extradition.

"I have no objections to being sent back to Australia," he said through an interpreter at the session led by Judge IB Putu Madeg.

Callahan also admitted he had committed a crime by repeatedly having sex with a 14-year-old girl, a younger sister of his wife, in 1997-1999 when he was in Australia.

Therefore, he said, he was not against being repatriated although he had come to like living in Bali where he had resided for the past five years.

The prosecution, represented by public prosecutors IKT Darsana and Suhadi, said the Australian government through diplomatic channels had requested that Callahan be deported to Australia where his sexual relations with RK, his younger sister-in-law, had been categorized as pedophilia as she was then still a minor.

The Australian government had asked for Callahan's extradition since September 2007 but he was only arrested last July 12 at his home in Kuta.

During his stay in Bali, Callahan had been working as a quality control expert at PT Indogelas Selancarjaya in Kuta.

While he was officially still wed to Rebecca Knox, RK's sister, Callahan had married a woman from Karangasem with whom he has a son.

Wednesday's court session was adjourned until Friday (Aug 15) when the panel of judges is expected to announce its verdict.