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Bali court told not to sacrifice Australian woman

Sara Connor says she's in "a nightmare" and wants to go home to her children.

Sara Connor says she's in "a nightmare" and wants to go home to her children. Photo: AAP

Lawyers for accused murderer Sara Connor have argued that the case against the Australian woman seems “made up” and have called on the judges not to “sacrifice” her and simply to save face.

The 46-year-old mother from Byron Bay fronted Denpasar District Court on Wednesday for the second day of her trial over the alleged murder of Wayan Sudarsa, whose bloodied body was discovered on Kuta beach in the early hours of August 17.

Connor and her British boyfriend David Taylor are facing charges of murder, fatal assault in company and assault causing death.

Connor’s legal team – made up of Erwin Siregar, Robert Khuana and Ketut Ngastawa – have launched a challenge, urging the judge to dismiss the charges levelled against her.

“The prosecution has been inaccurate, unclear and incomplete in formulating the indictment,” they said.

The prosecution should have charged her with eliminating evidence or released her, they submitted.

“Don’t force (yourself) to fulfil specific targets or save face by sacrificing the defendant and sacrificing the law,” they told the judges.

The indictment, they argued, was not based on the result of the investigation but “speculation” and gave the general impression of being “made up”.

They submitted that the prosecution had “copied and pasted” the same allegations when explaining each charge against their client, rather than outlining different actions.

The indictment, they added, also focused on the actions of Taylor, rather than Connor.

Taylor’s trial, which is being held separately to Connor’s, meanwhile heard testimony from Denpasar detective Sulhadi.

It was the first time David Taylor and Sara Connor had seen each other since their arrest.

David Taylor and Sara Connor reenacted the fatal night in August. Photo: ABC

He said the murder stemmed from Taylor confronting Mr Sudarsa and accusing him of being involved with Connor’s missing purse.

This, he said, “insulted” the traffic cop, and sparked the fight which ended with his death “at the hands of two perpetrators”.

Taylor responded to his testimony through an interpreter, saying: “I hit the victim’s face with (his binoculars) and later with the (beer) bottle. That was for self-defence”.

“The one cutting (Mr Sudarsa’s) identity cards was Sara and it was Sara’s idea.”

“It is not true that I killed (him) it was only self-defence.”

Detective Sulhadi said that during one of the interrogation sessions, held after their arrest in August, Connor “confessed” to hitting Mr Sudarsa, sitting on him and wrapping her arm around him during the fight.

Connor will return to court on Monday, while Taylor matter will return on Wednesday next week.

-AAP

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