Vic: Australian author sentenced to jail over Thai royal =3D3
19 Jan 2009 7:22 PM
The 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-serving monarch, is credited with being Thailand's unifying force during times of crisis, though he has no major official role in politics.
Nicolaides appeared in court wearing a dark orange prison jumpsuit with his hands cuffed and his feet shackled.
He has already been in custody for nearly five months.
"He has written a book that slandered the king, the crown prince and Thailand and the monarchy," the judge told the court.
"He was found guilty under criminal law article 112 and the court has sentenced him to six years, but due to his confession, which is beneficial to the case, the sentence is reduced to three years."
Leaving the court, Nicolaides told reporters: "I wish my family the best."
Nicolaides' Australian-based lawyer Mark Dean, SC, said the verdict, the minimum sentence for the offence, was the best Nicolaides and his family could have hoped for.
"We're obviously very pleased he has imposed the minimum penalty available to it," he told AAP.
"This demonstrates the court's view of the seriousness of the offence and the personal circumstances faced by Harry."
While he would not speculate on the chances for the pardon application, Mr Dean said he hoped the royal family would take into account the sentence, which he said indicated the offence was at the "very low end of seriousness".
Forde said he was concerned about his sibling's health.
"His health isn't that crash hot. He has had continuous flu-like symptoms since he has been incarcerated. He has lost a lot of weight. He can't eat the prison food," Forde said.
"He is generally unwell and has undergone a lot of mental trauma, as anyone would in a foreign country."
Nicolaides' offence is believed to have come from three sentences in his novel in which the narrator refers to rumours concerning a crown prince's love life.
