Rizalman awaits sentencing

Rizalman awaits sentencing

Malaysian former diplomat Mohammad Rizalman Bin Ismail admitted indecent assault this week and his fate now lies in the hands of a High Court judge.

Once that decision is made, a government report will look into how he was allowed to flee the country following the assault.

Rizalman is a Warrant Officer in the Malaysian military – a man with an untainted two-decade-long military career, until the night of May 9, 2014.

He's admitted he followed 21-year-old Tania Billingsley home, and this week admitted to indecently assaulting her, before taking the stand to tell his side of events.

It was a case that embarrassed the Government. Rizalman was allowed to flee the country under diplomatic immunity.

Nobody has yet been held to account over the political incident, although a government report is due after his sentencing.

The victim, Ms Billingsley, waived her right to automatic name suppression and spoke to 3D, calling for a government apology.

Rizalman's guilty plea on Monday spared a trial, but he still had to face the dock, giving evidence around disputed facts over why he went to Mr Billingsley's flat and what happened inside.

Swearing on the Quran and giving evidence through an interpreter, his lawyer didn't want him to be filmed, saying it would cause him "undue stress" and would be humiliating for him.

Humiliating it was; his synthetic cannabis and alcohol use leading up the attack was questioned by the Crown. He admitted he purchased high-strength synthetic cannabis from a shop on Cuba St, but wouldn't admit using it.

Then came the questioning around what Rizalman admitted to police on the night of the attack, that he'd had an "emergency defecation situation" outside the victim's house, and that he was simply asking her if he could use her bathroom and clean himself up while his pants and underpants were still off.

A psychologist called to give evidence told the court a report showed Rizalman scored high on lying and faking symptoms.

But Rizalman's defence maintains his behaviour was from work stress and anxiety.

It's now down to Judge David Collins to make a decision around what happened; then Rizalman can be sentenced.

3 News