Aussie man faces drugs trial in Bali

An Australian man has gone on trial in Bali charged with drug offences that could
see him jailed for up to 20 years.
Perth man Robert Paul McJannett, 48, was arrested at Denpasar airport on December 28
last year, after 1.7 grams of marijuana allegedly was found in his luggage.
He was among the first to be charged under Indonesia's harsh new drug laws
introduced last year.
He now faces trial in the Denpasar District Court charged with importing a "group
one" narcotic, which carries a minimum sentence of five years' jail and a maximum of
15.
He is also charged with possession, which carries a minimum of four years' jail and
a maximum of 12, and the lesser offences of drug use and failing to report a drug
addiction.
A spokesman for Indonesia's Attorney-General's Office said McJannett could be
sentenced to up to 20 years' jail if found guilty on the more serious charges.
Alternatively, he could get off with a much shorter sentence if the court dismisses
the more serious charges.
Prosecutor Nyoman Sucitrawan on Tuesday described McJannett as an "addict" who had
used marijuana for more than 30 years.
"The defendant has been using it since 1978 to help him sleep," he told the court.
McJannett, a crane operator and trade unionist, travelled to Bali with his adult son
for a five-day holiday.
He told investigators at the time of his arrest he knew nothing about the drugs and
was the victim of a set-up.
His trial will continue next week.