Naked climbers plead guilty in Malaysia court
Four tourists who posed naked for a photograph on Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia have pleaded guilty in court to causing a public disturbance.
Briton Eleanor Hawkins, Canadians Lindsey and Danielle Peterson, and a Dutchman admitted stripping for photographs on top of the mountain.
Along with six others, they have been blamed by Malaysian authorities for a magnitude 5.9 earthquake, which jolted the mountain and killed 18 people, some of them school children.
A senior minister said last week the tourists had angered the spirits of the mountain, which is considered to be a sacred spot.
All four pleaded guilty at Kota Kinabalu Magistrates’ Court but deny some of the prosecution’s accusations.
The court has adjourned so the accused can consult with their lawyer.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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